



' ,0- 




^"•^^^ , 









1 vv 





^'^^i^. 



^VZ'-. 






.4 O. 



"oV 





















5^^ u 









. fi^ . * • • ' 



%/ :M)k' \/' .•:*^"- '"-.,..>* 



* .V ^^ 
















































IIP,* 'V ^^ .V/«SW* A? 
















^^ 






«> 



^ 



<b' 



THE GKAjND TltAYEKSE REGlOiN. 



J^ I^E I' O I^ T 



IDEOLOGICAL AND IiXDUSTRIAL RESOURCES 



OF THE COUNTIES OF 



ANTRIM, GRAND TRAVERSE, BENZIE AND LEELANAW 



LOWER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN. 



By ALEXANDER WINCHELL, A. M., 

Prof, of Geolorjy, Zoology and Botany in the University of Michigan, and late 'State 

Geologist ; Member of the Geological Society of France; Corresponding 

Member of the Geological Society of Glasgow ; Member of the 

Amsrican Philosophical Society ; Corresjionding Member 

Boston Societi/ of Natural History, d-c. ^■cr~~'~-~ 






ANN ARBOR: 
/ 1 8 6 6. 



y \<- 



OS ^^"^'7 



PEEFACE. 

The following report has been drawn up for the purpose of directing 
attention to the most remarkable and desirable section of country in the 
Northwest. Emigrants and capitalists will equally find in it statements 
of facts which will both surprise and interest them. I have no fear of 
being charged with overdrawing the picture. I have only given facts, 
figures and vouchers. They speak for themselves. The details of the 
geology of the region have never before been worked out, and will 
prove of interest to a large class of readers. 

This region, like all of Northern Michigan, has heretofore been 
generally misrepresented. I gladly except from this charge the account 
drawn up by Hon. D. C. Leach for Clark's Gazetteer of Michigan; an inter- 
esting and extended statement which appeared in the Grand Traverse 
Herald for March 4tli, 1864, and the address of D. B. Duflield, Esq., on 
the " Undeveloped Regions and Resources of the State of Michigan," 
as well as the various pamphlets and essays of Edgar Conkling, Esq., 
of Cincinnati, and George S. Frost, Esq., of Detroit. 

In the prosecution of my work I have been greatly aided by the 
courtesies and liberality of the citizens of the region — especially of some 
whom I would be glad to name if justice only had to be consulted in 
the matter. I was accompanied during more than half of my explora ■ 
tions by A. de Belloy, Esq., of Sutton's Bay, who will be glad to reply 
to any inquries respecting the region. I cannot forbear to mention th^ 
great aid I have received from the exact and reliable maps of S. Farmer 
& Co., of Detroit. Farmer's Sectional Map has been my pocket com- 
panion in all my travels in various parts of the State for the past 



eight years, and I have learned to rely upon it implicitly even to the 
obscurest highways and the meanderings of the smallest creeks. Many 
of my meteorological data have been taken from the published observa- 
tions of the Smithsonian Institution. The original and published maps 
of the Lake Survey have been freely submitted to my inspection through 
the courtesy of Colonel W. F. Raynolds, Superintendent, and I am 
indebted to A. S. Packard, Jr., M. D. of Boston, for the identification of 

the canker worm moth of the region. 

A. WINCHELL. 

U>fXVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 

Ann Arbor, December, 1865. 



THE GRAND TRAVERSE REGION. 



I. THE NAME. 



The early French voyageurs in coasting from Mackinac 
southward found two considerable indentations of the coast 
lino of Lake Michigan on the east side, which they were ac- 
customed to cross from headland to headland. The smaller of 
these they designated " La Petite Traverse " and the greater, 
" La Grande Traverse." These names were transferred to the 
two bays known as the Little Traverse and Grand Traverse 
Bays. 

IL GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION. 

Grand Traverse Bay is a bay of lake Michigan, indenting 
the northwestern shore of the southern Peninsula of the State 
of Michigan. Its general direction is from north to south. 
Its mouth is in latitude 45° 15' north, and its head in latitude 
44'' 45' north. Its length in a straight line is therefore 34.75 
statute miles. The undefined region bordering on this bay 
is generally known as the Grand Traverse Region. Tlie 
county of Antrim lies upon the east side of the bay, the 
county of Leelanaw on the west, and the county of Grand 
Traverse on and about the head of the bay. The 
counties of Benzie on the west and Kalkasca on the east 
of Grand Traverse, may be regarded as lying within the same 
topograi^liical and hydrographical area; and in their geologi- 
cal and physical features belong to the same district. 



6 

Leelanaw county occupies the triangle lying between Grand 
Traverse Bay and lake Michigan. Grand Traverse county 
embraces the tongue of land which bisects the southern half of 
the bay, and extends northward to embrace about nine miles 
along the eastern shore of the bay. Benzie county lies upon 
lake Michigan. Kalkasca county is reached by navigable 
water only in the northwestern corner, through Elk and Round 
lakes. The southern limit of the region thus indicated lies 
in latitude 44° 30' and the northern limit in latitude 45° 15' 
north. 

III. HYDROGRAPHY. 

Grand Traverse Bay is a sheet of navigable water about 
thirty- three miles in length with an average breadth of about 
eleven miles. The southern portion of the bay is divided into 
the east and west arms by a belt of land from one to two miles 
wide and about seventeen miles in length, known as "the 
Peninsula." The east arm has an average width of about four 
and a half miles; the west arm is somewhat wider. The 
height of the bay and of lake Michigan above the level of the 
sea is 578 feet. The depth of water in the bay is generally 
from 20 to 70 fathoms. The east arm attains the greatest 
depth, being about a hundred fiithoms at a point opposite Old 
Mission and thence as far as Petobego Lake. The maximum 
depth is 618 feet, and is found opposite Birch Lake and on a 
line between Old Mission and the north end of Elk lake. 

The entire bay constitutes a harbor secure from all except 
northerly winds ; while the two arms of the bay are not seri- 
ously disturbed by storms from any direction. The shores of 
the bay however, present a number of harbors in which vessels 
may at all times lie with the utmost security. Entering the 
bay at its mouth and proceeding along the western shore, the 
first important harbor reached is Northport which oj)ens to- 
wards the south — being separated from the bay by a tongue 
of laud called " Carrying Point." This harbor is about two 
miles wide and nearly three miles deep and is a frequent re- 
sort of vessels overtaken by storms upon the lake. The Avater 
is sufficient tor the largest vessels which navigate the lakes. 



Proceeding southward, twelve miles from the mouth of the 
oay we reach New Mission Harbor, also opening southward 
and separated from the bay by Shobwasson Point. This har- 
bor is a mile and a half wide and a mile deep, with an abun- 
dance of water for safe navigation. 

Four miles further south is Sutton's Bay, opening towards 
the northeast, and separated from the West Arm by Stony 
Point. This harbor is three miles long and a mile and a half 
wide with plenty of water. 

Lee's Point, eleven miles from the head of the "West Arm 
forms another shallow harbor. 

Bower's harbor, on the west side of the Peninsula, opens to 
the southwest, being isolated from the West Arm by Tucker's 
Point. Off this point, and connected with it by a reef, is Har- 
bor Island — practically extending Bower's harbor to the length 
of over three miles, while its width is about one and a half 
miles. 

On the east side of the Peninsula, near the point, is Old 
Mission harbor, having a capacity of about one square mile. 
Further than this the configuration of the shore of the East 
Bay affords no harbor worth}- of note. 

Passing southward from the mouth of Grand Traverse Bay 
along the shore of lake Michigan, we find a broad indentation 
at the mouth of Carj) River, oj)ening towards the northwest 
and partially protected from Avest and southwest winds by 
Mount Carp. 

Between Mount Carp and North Unity is a broad bay about 
five miles deep, affording protection from all winds except those 
proceeding from the north and northwest. 

Between North Unity and Sleeping Bear Point is another 
broad bay about four miles deep, forming the harbor of Glen 
Arbor, affording sheltej- from all except north and northwest 
winds. The muuth of this harbor opening towards the Mani- 
tou Islands about nine miles distant, it receives considerable 
protection from heavy " seas " approaching from that quarter. 

No other natural harbor of importance exists along this 
shore ; though improvements, some of which are now in pro- 



iLiress — ;i;^ at the iiioutli of tlie Bees Scies IMvit — wil! create 
liivrbors e<j[ual in exeelleiiee to any in the region. 

The Grand Traverse region is reinarkahly provided with 
navigahle inhmd lakes. Home of these eounect with each other 
or with tlie bay or hike Micliigan in sneh a manner as to eon- 
stitnte extended channels of inhind connnnnication hy water. 
Connecting witli the East Arm of the bay througli Elk I'iver 
is Elk lake, a body of water about, ten miles long and aver- 
aging a mile and a half in width. Passing from this Ave enter 
Hound lake, about one-fifth as large, fi-om wliich we proceed 
northward to Torch lake, the largest in the region. This 
sheet of water is eighteen miles long, and averages about two 
miles in width. Tt lies nearly pai-allel witli the east shore of 
the bay, the upper extremity approaching within half a mile of 
the latter. From the east side of Toix'h lake we pass into Clam 
hike, a narrow strip of water stretching eastw:ird into (Irass 
hike. From the latter we proceed through a series of snndl 
lakes extending northward about twelve miles, and called col- 
lectively Intermediate lake. The uppei- extremity of this lake 
is but two miles from the south arm of Pine lake, lying mostly 
in Eimnet county and discharging through Pine river into lake 
Michigan. 

The remark.able series of lakes just described is navigable 
for tugs and small vessels from the East Arm of the bay to the 
head of Grass lake, making a total length of navigable in- 
land water amounting to eighty miles. Pine lake affords al)0ut 
forty-two miles of inland navigation. 

Carp lake in LeelanaAV county affords a stretch of inland 
Jiavigation for tugs, amounting to thirty miles. The outlet of 
this lake is through Carp river. It extends nearly north and 
south with a, mean width of nearly a mile — taking no account 
of "the narrows," where, for the distance of two miles the 
mean' width is less than a (piarter of :i mile. 

Glen lake in the sinne county, lies within one mile of lake 
Mi(;higan with which it connects through Crystal creek. This 
body of water covers about one sixth of a township. It is over 
•iOO feet deep— a depth of 15 feet being reached at the distance 
often ro<ls from the shore. It is therefor(> navigable for ves- 



9 

sols of luri>^e size, though none above twenty tons burden couUl 
approach through Crystal creek ; and even thU would necessi- 
tate some iniproveruents. 

Platte lake in Benzie county is similarly circumstanced, 
though smaller, and lying somewhat further from lake Mich- 
igan. 

Lake aux Bees Seles (or lake " Betsie" ) — sometimes called 
Crystal lake — is the second in size of the lakes of this region. 
Its western extremity approaches within half a mile of lake 
Michigan, but its outlet is through the Bees Scies river and 
Frankfort harbor. The lattor is a beautiful little lake reaching 
to within a few rods of lake Michigan with which it connects 
througli the Bees Scies river. The imj^rovements in progress 
here Avill render this, harbor accessible from lake Michigan for 
any vessels which navigate the lake, and it will be absolutely 
secure from storms from any quarter of the compass. This 
harbor is two miles long and from a qunrtor to a half a mile 
in width. 

Numerous smaller lakes of less importance dot the entire 
region, of which Petobego lake in the northeastern part, and 
Silver, Long, Bass and Green lakes in the Avestern part of 
Grand Traverse county are beautiful sheets of limpid water 
with hard shores. Boardman's lake, within half a mile of 
Traverse City, is destined, in time, to aiford a large accession 
to the sources of pleasure to the future population of that 
place. Lime and Bass lakes in the western part of Leelanaw 
county. Cedar lake in the southeastern part, and Leg lake in 
the northern part are among the smaller bodies of water with 
which the region is sup2)lied. 

These numerous lakes are filled with pure and palatable 
water; their shores are dry, and in connection with the sur- 
rounding scenery, tliey constitute, in addition to the facilities 
they afford for internal communication, the completion of the 
charms of a series of the most charming landscapes. 

The streams of the region are natiirally of inconsiderable 
magnitude. The Manistee river flows through the south- 
eastern portion of Kalkasca county, and passes beyond the 
limits of the present notice. Boardraan's river rises in the 



10 

northern part of Kalkasca county, and, after flowing southwest 
about thirty miles, bends northward and flows about nine miles 
into the West Arm of Grand Traverse bay. Elk river, the 
outlet of Elk lake, is scarcely a quarter of a mile long. It dis- 
charges a large body of water, and has a sufiicient fall to 
afibrd a first class water power. The river has been dammed 
by Avhich the approach from the bay is cut ofl", while the depth 
of water in the chain of lakes lying towards the interior is 
proportionally improved for the i)ur2)ose of navigation. Carp 
river, the outlet of Carp lake discharges a body of water nearly 
as large, and having a fall of five or six feet affords another 
admirable water jjower. Here also is a dam. This river is 
not over half a mile in length. Crystal creek, the outlet o 
Glen lake, is of smaller dimentions, pursuing a tortuous course 
of about three miles, and affording by its fall one or two good 
water powers. The Bees Scies river rises in a chain of lakes 
in the Avestern part of Grand Traverse county, flows southwest 
about twelve miles, then north and west about eighteen miles 
to Frankfort harbor, through which it empties into lake Mich- 
igan. This stream afibrds a water power which is improved 
near Benzonia. 

The Manistee, Boardman and Bees Scies rivers afford good 
mill sites in the unsettled regions through which their upper 
waters flow ; while numbers of smaller streams have been em- 
ployed or may be, for driving mills to accommodate their im- 
mediate neighborhoods. 

The streams of this region are supplied with pure clear 
water and flow with a lively current over pebbly bottoms to 
their places of discharge. There are very few instances o 
water colored by vegetable or peaty accumulations, or stag- 
nated by flats, in the vicinity of the mouths of the streams. 

Small brooks and rills are very numerous throughout nearly 
all parts of the region, so that there is scarcely a quarter sec- 
tion of land that is not supplied with living water, or that has 
not access to some of the numerous lakes with Avhich the 
country is so abundantly supplied. 

It will at once be noticed that this region is favored with an 
extent of navigable water which is quite remarkable. Not 



11 

only is the whole extent of shore line of lake Michigan and 
the bay accessible for vessels of large draft, but to augment 
this shore line to a still greater extent, the bay is parted longi- 
tudinally for the distance of seventeen miles, and nearly the 
entire coast of the lake and bay is diversified by alternate 
" points " and indentations, which materially increase the 
means of access to the land. The whole extent of coast line 
bordering on lake Michigan is not less than seventy-five miles, 
of which fifty lie withm Leelanaw county. Grand Traverse 
bay presents a coast line of 113 miles, of which 41 lie within 
Leelanaw county, 50 in Grand Traverse, and 23 in Antrun 
county. 

The shore line of navigable water afibrded by the various 
inland lakes is as follows : In Leelanaw county Carp lake aftbrds 
about 36 miles and Glen lake about 14. In Benzie county 
Crystal lake aflbrds about 20 miles and Frankfort harbor about 
5 miles. In Antrim county and extending into Grand Traverse, 
Elk lake afibrds about 23 miles. Round lake 7 miles. Torch lake 
36 miles. Clam and Grass lakes 17 miles. Omitting mention 
of the considerable lakes in the western part of Grand Tra- 
verse county we thus have in this region 158 miles of shore 
line bordering on the navigable inland lakes, and 189 miles 
bordering on the bay and lake Michigan. This gives a total 
of 347 miles 'of shore line bordering on navigable waters in 
the region under consideration, and distributed as follows : 

In Leelanaw county 141 miles 

In Benzie coimty 50 " 

In Grand Traverse county 63 " 

In Antrim county 93 " 

Total 347 " 

IV. TOPOGRAPHY. 

The mean elevation of the Grand Traverse region above 
lake Michigan may be estimated at 230 feet, or 808 feet above 
the level of the sea. The mean elevation of the lower Penin- 
sula of Michigan is estimated by Higgins to be 160 feet above 
lake Michiojan or 738 feet above the sea level. 



12 

The surface of the Grand Traverse region is thus seen to 
be somewhat elevated. Its configuration is undulating or 
broken. The drainage is almost perfect, so that swamps and 
stagnant waters are rarely encountered. The region on the 
west side of the bay is more uneven than that on the east. An 
elevated and somewhat broken tract extends from Lighthouse 
Point through Leelanaw and Benzie counties to beyond Frank- 
fort. Back from this bolt the coiuitry is equally elevated but 
less broken. Grand Traverse county is «juite diversified with 
valleys, slopes and plateaux, but the surface rarely sinks so low 
or becomes so level as to interfere with complete drainage. 
The surface of Antrim county is undulating, sometimes hilly, 
and, though well watered, no marshes of importance occur. 

Some parts of Leelanaw county present hills of somewhat 
formidable magnitude. Most of the northern j^ai-t of the tri- 
angle is decidedly rough. The ridge of land separating Carp 
lake from Sutton's bay attains an elevation of nearly 400 feet 
above the bay. The slopes, however, are j^assable for loaded 
wagons. Carp lake is a beautiful sheet of pure water, resting 
in the bosom of the hills, which, wnth their rounded forest- 
covered forms, furnish it a setting of surpassing loveliness. 
Except for a short space on the east side, south of the narrows, 
the shores of the lake are occupied by dry and arable land. 
The region between Glen Arbor and Traverse City is substan- 
tially an undulating plateau lying at an elevation of about 300 
feet above the lake. Glen lake is surrounded by hills, which 
attain an elevation of 250 to 400 feet. North Unity is a bold 
bluff" of clay and sand, formed by the wasting of the lakeward 
side of a prominent hill by the action of the waves. Sleeping 
Bear Point is an enormous pile of gravel, sand and clay, which 
has been worn away on its exposed borders till the lakeward 
face presents a precipitous slope rising from the waters to an 
elevation of 500 feet, and forming with the horizon an angle of 
fifty degrees. Back from the face of the bluff' is an undulating 
plateau of clay, j^ebbles and sand, covering an area of six or 
eight square miles, over which the only signs of vegetation are 
a few tufts of brown, coarse grass wnth scattered clumps of 
dwarfed and gnarly specimens of the balm of Gilead^-a min- 



13 

iature desert, lying 380 feet above tlie lake. Across this 
waste of sand and clay the Avind sweeps almost incessantly, 
— sometimes with relentless fury — driving pebbles and sand 
into the shelter of the neighboring forest, and causing the 
stunted poplars to shrink away in terror at its violence. The 
pelting sand has polished the exposed surfaces of the larger 
fragments of rocks to such au extent that they reflect the sun- 
light like a mirror. Their surfaces are sometimes worked into 
furrows, pits and grotesque inequalities in consequence of the 
unequal hardness of diiferent portions of the stone. The 
" Bear " proper is au isolated mound rising a hundred feet 
above this desolate plateau and singularly covered with ever- 
greens and other trees, presenting from the lake the dark ap- 
pearance which suggested to the early navigators the idea of 
a bear in repose. 

Empire bluff, six miles further south, presents a section of 
another hill which attains an altitude of nearly 400 feet, and 
the hills at Point Bees Scies reach an elevation but little less. 

Seen from the lake, the natural cuts presented between Cat- 
head Point and Carp river, at North Unity, Sleeping Bear and 
Point Bees Scies look like huge accumulations of blown sand, 
and convey the impression of a sterile and inhospitable coast, 
which is quite at variance with the indications of the country a 
a quarter or half a mile back from the shore. 

The region about the head of Grand Traverse bay is mostly 
a level sandy plain, sufliciently elevated for drainage, but on 
the west and southwest of the head of the West Arm the 
country rises rapidly by one or two ascents into hills attaining 
an elevation of 300 or 400 feet. This elevation of the coiintry 
is maintained most of the way to the Manistee river. The 
Monroe settlement lies in au elevated undulating expanse reach- 
ing south and east for six or eight miles. Toward the west of 
this the surface subsides, but remains dry to the head waters 
of the Bees Scies river. 

The Peninsula is a gently hilly tongue of farming land. Sim- 
ilar features belong to the eastern shore of the east bay. In- 
deed, nearly the whole of the western part of Antrim county 
is made up of plains and gentle slopes, Avliich sometimes reach 



u 

an elevation of 200 feet, but toward the interior are ridges 
which attain a more considerable altitude. 

The strictly low lands of the Grand Traverse region are 
scarcely worthy of mention. Occasionally a narrow belt of 
swamp borders a lake for a short distance, or spreads out in 
the vicinity of the mouth of a stream. Some low ground is 
observed about the head of the West Ai-m, and more about 
the head of the East Arm. The immediate vicinity of the 
upper waters of the Boardman river is somewhat marshy, as 
also some patches in the southeastern, middle and western 
parts of Grand Traverse county. The same may be said of 
the region about th'^ head waters of the Bees Scies river, in 
Benzie county, as also the vicinity of Cedar river in Lcelanaw. 
Some low ground occurs again about t!io south end of Elk and 
Round lakes, and on the borders of the streams in the interior 
and eastern parts of Antrim county. 

Though the immediate shore, as seen from the lake, presents 
the appearance of a dune covered coast, we find very little 
sand blown toward the interior, except on the Sleeping Bear. 
Indeed, the beds of white material forming so striking a spec- 
tacle seen from the lake are more clay than sand ; and I am not 
aware of any real dunes except in the region already indicated. 
The northern lakeward slope of Sleeping Bear Point consists 
of drifts of shining sand for a distance of two or three miles. 
The momid wdiich constitutes "the Bear" is also clothed with 
drifted sand, though the vegetation growing upon it is evidence 
of a more coherent material beneath. 

The scenery of the Grand Traverse region is subdued and 
soft — sometimes picturesque, always beautiful, in some in- 
stances exquisitely so. Viewed from some suitable eminence 
the landscape presents an imdulating sea of verdure, one 
softly-rovmded hill top succeeding another in the retreating 
view, the dimness of distance lendinof an ever increasinsi en- 
chantment to the prospect. Frequently the introduction of- 
water into the landscape gives it almost the perfection of en- 
chantment. From the bluff on which the s(!ininary of New 
Mission is situated the beholder has an exquiiute view of Grand 
Traverse bay with its eastern and western arms dissolving in 



15 

smoke in the dim distance, and the broad hike seen through 
the mouth of the bay sinking beneath the northern horizon. 
An emerakl fringe of forest skirts the opposite shore ; the 
softened outlines of the Peninsula emerge from the misty em- 
brace of the two arms of the bay, and all around the frame- 
work of this scene loom from the background the purple hill- 
tops, looking perpetually down upon the i^icture. 

From the foot of Pine lake a scene of siiri^assing loveliness 
presents itself. We land, perhaps, upon the wharf at the 
mouth of Pine river. Before us is a sandy slojie on the top of 
which we discover the usual features of a new settlement. 
Beyond is the forest. It is a pleasant October morning, how- 
ever, and we follow the well-beaten road through the fresh 
clearings which stretch out for two miles inland. We emerge 
from a screen of forest ti'ees and find ourselves standing upon an 
elevated bluft' overlooking as lovely a sheet of water as the 
sun ever shone upon. You feel almost a transport of delight 
in emerging so suddenly from the depths of the habitual forest 
into a prospect so vast, so gentle in its features, so delicate in 
its tints, and so glowing in the bright sunshine of a fair Octo- 
ber morning. Far away to the southeast, for fifteen miles, 
stretches the placid smiling surface of the water, its white and 
pebbly shore chasing the contour of the hills in all its mean- 
dering sinuosities. The verdant ridges rise on every side from 
the shining shore line, and hold the lake in their enchanted 
embrace, while rounded hill-tops bubble up in rapid succession 
across the retiring landscape till hill and vale and sky, and 
green and purple and blue dissolve together in the blended 
hues of the distant horizon. 

To one more of these views I cannot resist the temptation 
to allude. From an eminence about 400 feet high, two or three 
miles inland from Glen Arbor, on the northeast side of Glen 
lake, can be seen one of the most beautiful and varied land- 
scapes to be witnessed in any countrv, and one which is well 
worthy the pencil of the artist. The view is toward the west, 
and it should be taken when the sky is clear and the atmos- 
phere is pervaded by that softened haze which fuses the sharp- 
er angles of the landscape and throws over it a thin veil of in- 



16 

scrutaltle vngueness. P^rom our liill sunuiut "\ve look down on 
the t0})s of the trees M'hicli cover tlie phiin immediately froiil- 
iug us. On tlie left is a portion of Glen lake, its nearer shoi'e 
concealed by the forest, and the remoter one exposinsi; a white 
and peljhly margin from which the verdant hills beyond rise 
hundreds of feet above the watery mirror in which their forms 
ai-e so clearly fashioned. In front of us the green hills separ- 
ate Glen lake from lake Michigan, and conceal from \\e\v tlie 
desert sand-fields of Sleeping Bear, ^ot completely, however, 
for the naked and glistening flanks of the northern slope stretch 
out to view beyond the forest-covered ridge, and embrace the 
placid harbor which struggles through the intercepting foliage, 
aud blends with the boundless expanse of the great lake still 
beyond. Farther ofl' in the midst of the water, rises the green 
outline of the South Manitou island, bearing on its head a glis- 
tening cap of sand. Still farther to the right rises the form of 
the North Manitou, which seems trying to hide itself behind 
the towering bluff of North Unity that guards the entrance to 
the harbor from the north. Tw^o little lakes nestle in the rich 
woodland that spreads its verdure between us and the harbor, 
screening themseh es like wood nymphs behind the thick foli- 
age which half conceals their charms. It is doubtful whether 
a scene superior to this exists in the country. 

Y. SOIL. 

The ai'enaceous element of the soil is generally strongly 
marked. At the same time the region on the Avest side of the 
bay is somewhat more sandy than that on the east. The soil 
of Grand Traverse and Benzie counties is more diversified. 
Nevertheless, patches of clayey soil are notunfrequent in Lee- 
Innaw county, and a well-mixed sandy loam is the dominant 
cliaracter of the soil on the hills. It seems, at first thought, 
somewhat surprij^ing that the soil of the valleys should be less 
coherent than that on the slopes and summits of the hills. This 
disposition, however, is the natural result of the wasting of the 
hills by storms.' These have .worn away the more arenaceous 
materials and .transported them to the lower levels, until tho 



17 

denudation of the hill summits has reached the beds of argil- 
laceous materials with which all the hills of the region are in 
tersected. 

A considerable area about the head of the two arms of the 
bay is a sandy plain, the most of it sufficiently elevated foi' 
drainage. On the west of the bay the broken land reaches to 
the waters edge. On the south it is reached within two miles 
when a fine belt of adhesive loam extends for about five miles. 
This is succeeded by two or three miles of clayey soil less per- 
fectly drained, after which we ascend to the beautiful plateau 
on which the Monroe settlement stands, clothed with a light 
loamy soil Avhich extends southward with varying accessions 
of sandy material as far as the Manistee river. Eastward from 
the Monroe settlement the character of the soil continues to be 
a light loam, while toward the west and northwest it becomes 
more sandy and less perfectly drained. On the East of Silver 
lake is a region in which the argillaceous element decidedly 
predominates ; while the country between New Sweden and 
Elk lake is favored with a well-drained calcareous loam, equal 
in fertility to any in the Grand Traverse region, and, from its 
having been longest settled, generally reputed to be some- 
what superior to most parts of the country. This opinion, 
however, is an unwarranted disparagement of the country in 
general. 

The soil on the east of Grand Traverse bay is a sandy cal- 
careous loam of considerable uniformity, but yet, as on th€ 
west side, more sandy in the valleys than on the hill-tops. Ben- 
zie county presents diversities of soil sirriilarto those of Grand 
Traverse county. The western border approximates Leelanaw 
county in its topography and soil. The southeastern part pre 
sents a continuation of the low sandy belt of the adjoining 
c ounty. 

In productiveness the soil of the Grand Traverse region is 
literally unsurpassed. The evidences of this will be seen when 
I come to treat of its farm crops and fruits. The proof of it 
is seen also in the astonishing magnitude of the forest tree 
which sustain themselves not merely upon the mould which has 
accumulated upon the surface, but strike their roots deep and 



18 

draw up stores of vegetable nutriment from the subsoil. The 
cause of the fertility of these soils is also apparent. Even the 
most sandy soil of Leelanaw county is unlike the sandy soils 
of other regions in its constitution. These sands have not 
been produced by the disintegration of sandstone strata, as is 
generally the case with sandy soils. There are no sandstone 
formations within the limits of the region. They are derived 
trom the disintegi'ation and decomposition of slightly arenaceous 
limestones. Pebbles of limestone are consequently more or less 
abundant in the soil — theu' abundance dej)ending upon the 
pi'oximity of the undisturbed formation. The continual solu- 
tion of the calcareous matter of these limestone fragments 
furnishes a never-failing supply of lime to the soQ, at the same 
time that it disengages additional amounts of sandy particles 
Irom theii" confinement in the limestone mass. These soils, 
therefore are naturally charged with the fertilizing constituent 
of plaster, which is lime — though it is probable that the sul- 
phuric acid of common plaster exerts also some agency of 
which lime is incapable — and even this agency is supplied by 
the decomposing pyrites which the underlying rocks contribute 
to the soils of the region. 

Aside from their habitual destitution of fertilizing constitu- 
ents, arenaceous soils possess physical qualities favorable to pro- 
ductiveness. A sandy soil is always light. Atmospheric in- 
fluences are allowed free access to the roots of vegetation, and 
to the soil constituents which need to be oxygenated for the 
purposes of agricultural utility. Even the tramping of men 
and animals fails to solidify them to the same extent as a 
clayey or even a loamy soil. A sandy soil is, besides, exempt 
from supersaturation with water ; and yet it holds tenaciously 
water enough to answer the demands of vegetation. Through 
the free access of the atmosphei'e this water rapidly evapo- 
rates, thus surroimding the vegetable with vapor and affording 
the growing leaf the conditions most favorable to its health 
and expansion. Finally, a sandy soil is proved, by direct ex- 
periment, as well as by its promptness in bringing forward a 
crop, to be a more powerful absorbent of heat than a clayey 
soil, as well as slower to part with it. The sand is warm much 



19 

sooner than the atmosphere and retains its warmth after the 
atmosphere has received its evening chill. Objection has been 
made to sandy soils, that their fertilizing constituents " leach 
out." Let us see. It is evident that whatever sinks into the 
earth, must go in a state of solution. No material particles 
can be supposed to descend, for we employ this very sand, in 
filters, to free water from its tm'bidity and sediments. Expe- 
riment proves that clean sand will even abstract some of the 
saltness from brine. But if the nutritive elements of the soil 
disappear in a state of solution in the water, there exists a 
union between them and the water which cannot be materially 
aftected, under the actual conditions, until the water is again 
evaporated. In a period of dry weather, therefore, when sandy 
soils draw up by capillary attraction a supply of water from 
beneath, the same fertilizing constituents must return with it to 
the surface. Here the water, undergoing a rapid evaporation, 
deposits again the soluble ingredients which it had carried 
down at the time of the last rains. Thus it appears how na- 
ture has provided for the permanence of the fertilizing ele- 
ments of the soil, and how drouths are a part of the rgency 
employed by nature in preserving from waste the provision 
which she has made for the perennial nourishment of vegeta- 
tion. 

It appears, then, that the physical properties of sandy soils 
tend greatly to favor the development of vegetation, while, 
aside from the tendency to wash, it is only a deficiency in cer- 
tain chemical constituents which has given sandy soils in gen- 
eral a bad reputation for being rapidly exhausted of their fer- 
tility. It is apparent, nevertheless, that sandy soils may exist 
not afiected by such deficiency, and whose origin has been such 
that an adequate proportion of alkaline constituents has been 
supplied contemporaneously with the sand, and must continiie 
to be supplied. The sandy soils of the Grand Traverse region 
are of this class. They possess, then, all the eminent recom- 
mendations dependent on the physical constitution of such 
soils, and all the chemical constituents which belong to strictly 
argillaceous or calcareous soils. Hence the secret of the euor- 



20 

mous timber growth of the region, and its surprising agricultu- 
ral productiveness. 

Lest it should be objected that sandy soils, unsuited for farm- 
ing purposes, do sometimes (though rarely, I think,) produce 
pines and hemlock of a large size, it may be well to remind 
tlie reader that the Conifera3 — embracing the pines, hemlock, 
cedars, firs and spruces — incorporate a large proportion of si- 
licious matter in their constitution, and will flourish well on a 
soil more purely silicious than other (or gymnospermous) trees. 
Every one knows that the ashes of the Coniferie are less desir- 
able for potash manufacture than the ashes of the elm, ash, 
basswood, maple and beech. It is also notorious that a heavy 
forest of tlie latter class publishes a favorable account of the 
soil upon which they have been nourished. 

VI. CLIMATE. 

The climate of a region sustains a causal relation to its salu- 
brity, its accessibility, and the character of its vegetable and 
animal productions. It is one of the most important consider- 
ations bearing upon its eligibility for business, settlement and 
homesteads. Climate depends principally upon three condi- 
tions — latitude, altitude above the sea, and relation to large 
bodies of land and water. The Grand Traverse region lies in 
about the same latitude as Nova Scotia, the middle of Maine, 
northern Vermont and New York, St. Paul in Minnesota, and 
Oregon City, Oregon. Its mean elevation above the sea be- 
ing 800 feet, its mean temperature should be about two and 
one-tliird degrees lower than that of other places in the same 
latitude lying at the sea level. Or, since a mean annual differ- 
ence of two and one-third degrees answers, in the temperate 
zone, to a difference of latitude of one degree and twenty-four 
minutes, the mean temperature of the year in the Grand Tra- 
verse region, in the mean latitude of 44° 52', should agreee Avith 
other places at the level of the sea in latitude 43" 28', which is 
about the latitude of Portland, Maine, Lockport, N. Y., and 
Milwaukie and Prairie du Chien, Wis. 



21 



I have had access to thermonietrical observations, more or 
less complete taken at Traverse City (latitude 44° 46') by J. F. 
Grant, Esq.; at Northport (latitude 45° 08') by Rev. George 
N. Smith, and at Grand Traverse (latitude 44° 57') by Dr. H. 
R. Schetterly. An abstract of observations taken at Traverse 
City for six successive winters is given below : 

Table I. Abstract of 3Ieteorolor/iccd Observations at Traverse 

City. 



HIGHEST. 



LOWEST. 



MEANS. 





"|7am 


1pm 


7pm 


1 7am 


' Ip m 


1 7pm II 7am 


1pm* 


7pm 


Day 


1859-60. 






















Dec.f... 


35 


37 


38 


-6 


9 


8 


17 


24 


20 


20 


Jau 


46 


52 


45 


-5 


7 


-7 


19 


30 


22 


24 


Feb 


42 


49 


45 


-14 


10 





16 


28 


21 


22 


March. . 


48 


64 


63 


13 


19 


21 


29 


41 


34 


'dn 


Winter . 


48 


64 


63 


-14 


7 


-7 


20 


31 


24 


25 


1860-1. 






















Decf... 


35 


37 


35 


-2 


13 


12 


17 


24 


21 


21 


Jan 


31 


36 


33 


-11 


10 


1 


17 


24 


20 


20 


Feb. . . . 


44 


59 


44 


-10 


-12 


-13 


21 


29 


25 


25 


March:}: . 


40 


50 


42 


-8 


-2 


-6 


21 


30 


23 


25 


Winter . 


44 


59 


44 


-11 


-12 


-13 


19 


27 


22 


23 


1861-3 








1 












' 


Dec 


58 


58 


55 


12 


16 


14 


29 


37 


32 


33 


Jan 


32 


39 


34 


-9 


-6 


-1 


14 


25 


20 


20 


Feb .... 


34 


44 


33 


-15 


5 


1 


14 


25 


19 


19 


March . . 


36 


44 


46 


9 


14 


17 


25 


36 


31 


31 


Winter . 


58 


58 


55 


-15 


5 


-1 


20 


33 


25 


26 


1862-8 






















Dec 


42 


50 


50 


2 


14 


14 


27 


34 


30 


30 


Jan 


47 


50 


46 


7 


8 


10 


27 


33 


30 


30 


Feb--. 


34 


49 


47 


-10 


8 


3 


18 


29 


24 


24 


March . . 


38 


46 


40 


15 


19 


9 


25 


32 


27 


28 


Winter . 


47 


46 


50 


-10 


8 


3 


25 


32 


28 


28 



1863-4 








1 














Dec 


37 


44 


44 


-2 


21 


10 


24 


31 


27 


27 


Jan 


34 


45 


39 


-14 


-4 


-12 


18 


26 


22 


22 


Felj .... 


37 


45 


41 


-14 


-2 


-9 


22 


29 


24 


25 


March. . 


39 


54 


44 


-10 


10 


1 


21 


33 


25 


26 


Winter . 


39 


54 


44 


-14 


-4 


-12 


21 


30 


24 


25 



1864-5 
Dec . . . . 

Jan 

Feb . . . . 
March. . 
Winter . 



40 


46 


37 


-1 


7 


6 


21 


27 


23 


33 


38 


33 


1 


11 


5 


18 


35 


20 


33 


45 


42 


-6 


5 


-4 


18 


31 


23 



34 
21 
24 



Five 
Winters 



I 
58 I 64 



63 



-15 -12 



-13 



21.0 



I I 
30.6 |24.6|25.4 



♦Observations were taken at noon durins; the winter of 1859-60. 
tObservatious began December 8th, 1859, and December 12th, 1860. 
^Ending with the 25th. 



22 



e 



^ 






o 

•rsj 



-^ 



e 



^ 



fl d- 


O 


(7* 


tH 


CO 


00 


■^ 


t- 


^ 




^ 




o 


T-< 


00 


« 


o 


Tj< 


CO 


s 


CO 






c? 


t- 


CD 


o> 


f 


©? 


05 


00 


lO 








Si 


<w 


« 


^ 


w 


(?* 


CO 


o 


t 


lo 


t~ 


o 


1—1 


<» 


o 


CD 


.,_, 


>^-" 




T— H 


*? 


T-l 


1-1 


Oi 




1 




w a 






1 


1 


1 


1 




1 








CO 


-5*< 


lO 


00 


« 


c- 


o 


t- 


OD 


ffj 


(M 


? 


t 


-* 

T 


=? 


T 


CO 


c> 


? 


OS 


3^ 


o 


(M 


00 


Ti< 


00 


o 


o 


o 


c? 


-># 


(X) cS 


OQ 


t- 


o 


tH 


05 


1-1 


00 


(M 


t- 


C^i 




JO 


o 


JO 


w. 


•* 


lO 


lO 


lO 


lO 


CO 


o 


05 


o 


tH 


00 


00 


«o 


lO 


CO 


00 




1-1 


o 


CO 


t- 


CD 


o 


00 


o? 


OS 


CO 


CO 


CO 


« 


co 


00 


c- 


C5 


05 


00 


1-1 


« 


Ol 


1—1 


tH 


1-H 


1-1 


CO 


T-l 


1-* 


•M 


^.S 


lO 


«5 


00 


1-1 


00 


t- 


00 


-* 


"* 


o 


tH 


tH 


ej8 


CO 


1—1 


co 


(N 


1—1 


"^ 


c^> 


'd ]^ 










1 


1 




f 


1 




o 


o 


o 


t- 


o 


lO 


o 


o 


o 


00 


« 


OS 


1-1 


co 


1—1 


o 


00 


o 


CO 


IM 


1 


1 


7 


^ 


1—1 

1 


'^ 




^ 


1—1 

1 


1 


o 


iO 


CO 


o 


o 


a 


o 


o 


o 


o 


lO 


c- 


00 


o 


CO 


1-1 


o 


CO 


CD 


CO 


^ 


C5 


J5 


J§ 


i§ 


^ 


s 




4 


^ 




CO 


CO 


o 


lO 


o 


o 


1-i 


CO 


o 


o 


In • 




CO 


GQ 


t~ 


to 


o 


1-1 


t- 


lO 


00 


=^ 


o 


t- 


t- 


t- 


(N 


00 


C5 


1—1 


o 




(M 




■I-t 


T-l 


1-1 


CO 


1-1 


1—1 


o> 


^ 


d 


o^ 


o 


(M 


o 


o 


'^ 


Ci 


o 


w a 


1 


=)* 


'? 


t 


CO 

1 


CO 

1 


Ol 


^.' 


1 


c« 


fl . 


K5 


in 


o 


o 


^ 


^ 




o 


o 


<-, 


03 fl 


lO 


t~ 


c? 


o 


00 


o 


o 


o 


iO 


CO 


^a 

3 >< 


1 


o 


-* 
1 


n 


©? 

^ 


1 


o 


^ 


Ci 

1 


00 
1 


CO 


o 


o 


o 


o 


t- 


^ 


o 


o 


^ 


^ in 






00 


iO 


CO 


00 


o 


o 


o 


c^ 


CO 


CO 


00 


CO 


o 


05 


o^ 


iO 


CO 


t- 


-* 


^ 


CO 


-* 


^ 


CO 


lO 


-* 


-* 


'^ 




£- 


CO 


OS 


CO 


lO 


JO 


1-4 


00 


"* 


00 


q:> 3 


o 


iO 


o 


Tff 


CO 


»o 


iO 


-* 


OS 


c« 




»o 


-* 


CO 


t- 


o 


00 


^-H 


^ 


w 


■Tt< 


(M 


(M 


T-t 


T-4 


« 


1—1 


-* 


(M 


« 


(M 


o 


CO 


00 


^ 


w 


(M 


CQ 


C5 


o 


CO 


1 


tH 


<?i> 


CO 


IS? 


CO 


(M 


1 


c^ 


























W^ 






















s 


lO 


CO 


o 


o 


o 


CO 
1 


o 


l.O 


CO 


<>« 




o 


CO 


iO 


CO 


CO? 


<N 


CO 


©J 


CO 


sa 

53 03 




1 


■I-l 

1 


1 


1 


OJ 


? 


^ 


1 


o 


o 


o 


i5 


iO 


c? 


o 


o 


o 


o 


lO 


CO 


iO 


t- 


c^ 


M< 


o 


lO 


o 


"* 






11 


00 


(M 


CO 


05 


t- 


00 


t- 


00 


-* 


CO 


-* 


-<i< 


Tt< 


lO 


rJH 


""l* 


-* 



o 



K 






O 



P-. 



o 


u 


_ 


ii 






< 


>• 











i-s 




< 





23 

Before proceeding to discuss the foregoing table it will be 
proper to present another one furnishing certain additional in- 
formation in reference to the localities embraced in Table II. 
In order that comparisons of temperature instituted amongst 
diflerent places may convey correct ideas, such comparisons 
ought to be made between corresponding years, and for long 
periods of time. Where the number of years embraced is few, 
and one of them happens to have been tmusually mild or unu- 
sually severe, the eflect upon the means is considerable. The 
periods of the observations upon which the results of Table 
II. were calculated are therefore given in the 4th column of 
Table III. 

As altitude is also an important element in such comparisons, 
the altitudes of the places are given, as far as known, in the 3d 
column of Table III. 

The latitudes of the same localities are given in the 2d 
column of Table III. The first seven places, it will be seen, 
are not far removed from the latitude of Traverse City. The 
remaining localities have been introduced into the discussion 
for the purpose of showing that places much further south 
possess a winter climate more severe than that of Traverse 
City. 

Table, III. Supplementary to Table II. 



Places. 


Latitude. 


Altitude Period 
ab'vesealev. of Obser. 


Traverse City 


44° 45' 
44° 07' 
45° 00' 
44° 25' 
44° 11' 
45° 30' 
45° 24' 
42° 16' 
42° 42' 
42° 30' 


525 ft. 

540 ft. 
75 ft. 
118 ft. 
150 ft. 
891 ft. 
768 ft. 
680 ft. 


1859-65 


Manitowac 


1856-9 


Hazlewood 


1954-9 


St. Johnsbury 


1854-9 


Gardiner 


1855-9 


Montreal 


1855-64 


Portland 


1859 


Ann Arbor 


1854-7 


Janesville 


1854-9 


Dubuque 


1854-9 







The second and third columns of Table II. show for each 
place the mean of the December maxima and m,ini'ma during 
the years covered by the observations — that is the mean of all 
the highest December observations for the several years, and 



24 

the same of the lowest. The fourth cohxmn shows the lowest 
degree reached by the thermometer in December, dm-iug the 
whole period of observations for each place. The fifth column 
exhibits for each place the mean temperature of all the De- 
cembers embraced in the period of the observations. The 
remaining columns of the Table give the same results for the 
months of January, February and March. 

Of the localities lying nearly on the parallel of Traverse 
City, it will be observed that Manitowoc is located immediate- 
ly on the western shore of Lake Michigan, and has Green Bay 
lying not over 35 miles to the north. It necessarily experien- 
ces therefore some modifieation of its winter climate from the 
influence of those large bodies of water. In this respect it 
seems even to be more favored than Milwaukie, 75 miles fur- 
ther south, which has colder winters — the diiference, perhaps, 
being the measure of the influence of Green Bay upon the 
winter climate of Manitowoc. Portland, Oregon, is under 
the influence of the Pacific ocean, as the observations show. 
Hazlewood, Min., Montreal and St. Johnsbury are situated in- 
land, and may be taken as fairly representing the continental 
temperature on their parallels, as unmodified by large bojies 
of water. 

The adaptation of a winter climate to the safe wintering of 
fruit trees and farming croj^s is not indicated by the mean tem- 
perature of the winter, nor by the mean temperature of the 
several months. Nevertheless, when this comparison is made, 
we perceive that the climate of Traverse City is milder than 
that of any other locality given in the table — Portland, Oregon, 
of course, excepted. In the month of December Manitowoc 
is over one degree colder ; Hazlewood, 12^°; St. Johnsbui-y, 
8^° ; Gardiner, 5^° ; Montreal, 7° ; Ann Arbor, 1^° ; Janesville, 
2f° ; Dubuque, 1°. 

In the month of January ManitOAvoc is 2^° colder than Tra- 
verse City; Hazlewood, 15f° colder; St. Johnsbury, 5°; Gar- 
dmer, 5^°; Montreal, 10f°; Ann Arbor, 3°; JanesviUe, U^" ; 
Dubuque, 2°. 

In the month of February Manitowoc is half a degree warm- 
er than Traverse City; Hazlewood, 10^° colder; St. Johns- 



25 

bury, 9^° ; Gardiner, 4^° ; Montreal, 6°; Ann Ai'bor, 4° ; Janes- 
ville, 4°; Dubuque, 2°. 

In the month of March the mean of the more southern local- 
ities begins to feel the influence of occasional warm southei'ly 
and southwesterly winds, while Traverse City is stUl environed 
by the winter temperatures imj^risoned in the ice of the bay. 

It is the extremes of winter temperature which jDroduce such 
frequent destruction of the more delicate varieties of fruit trees. 
The table furnishes the mean minima of the several places for 
the cold months of the year. In December the mean mini- 
mum of Manitowoc is 4° lower than at Traverse City ; of Ha- 
zlewood, 15|° lower; of St. Johnsbury, 23^° ; of Gardiner, 
13|°; of Montreal, 15°; of Ann Arbor, 1°; of Janesville, 8f°; 
of Dubuque, 3f °. 

In January the mean m,inimutn of Manitowoc is 5^° below 
that of Traverse City ; of Hazlewood, 18^° ; ojf St. Johnsbury, 
17^°; of Gardiner, 17^°; of Montreal, 16^°; of Ann Ai-bor, 
5^°; of Janesville, 17°; of Dubuque, 3°. 

In Februaiy the mean m,inim,utn of Manitowoc for the years 
compared is 3° higher higher than at Traverse City ; of Hazle- 
wood, 9° lower; of St. Johnsbury, 14f° lower; of Gardiner, 
1° higher ; of Montreal, 8^° lower; of Ann Arbor, the same; of 
Janesville, 12|^° lower; of Dubuque, f° lower. 

The mean tninimum, for March is lower for every one of the 
places compared with Traverse City, except Portland, Ore- 
gon. 

The favorable character of the winter climate of Traverse 
City is placed in a stUl stronger light if we compare the ex- 
treme m,inim,a for a series of years. The mean m,inimum may 
be of moderate severity, while on one or two occasions in the 
coiu-se of the winter, or still more likely within a range of five 
or six years, the mercury may sink to the damaging limit. The 
extrem,e m,imm,um, of Manitowoc compared with that of Tra- 
verse City is seen to be, in tho month of December, 10° lower; 
of Hazlewood, 22°; of St. Johnsbury, 28°; of Gardiner, 19°; 
of Montreal, 26°; of Ann Arbor, 3°; of Janesville, 14°; of 
Dubuque, 10°. 



26 

In January, the extreme minimum of Manitowoc is 8° lower 
than at Traverse City; of Hazlewood, 18°; of St. Johnsbury, 
26°; of Gardiner, 18°; of Montreal, 16°; of Ann Arbor, 10°; 
ofJanesviDe, 15°; of Dubuque, 6°. 

In February, the extrem,e m^inimum, of Manitowoc is 1° lower 
than of Traverse City; of Hazlewood, 13°; of St. Johnsbury, 
16°; of Gardiner, 3° ; of Montreal, 22°; of Ann Arbor, 1° 
higher; of Janesville, 9° lower; of Dubuque, 5° lower. 

It thus appears that under every point of view the winter 
climate of Traverse City is materially milder than that of other 
places in the same latitude either east or west. It is materially 
milder than that of places two and a half degrees further south. 
The minimum range of the thermometer being but 15° below 
zero, it does not reach the point at which peach trees are in- 
jured; and in this respect the wmter climate compares favor- 
ably with that of middle Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Indeed, 
the winter extremes for ten years past, during which peach 
trees have been growing in the Grand Traverse region, have 
been less than at Cincinnati or St. Louis, or even Memphis, in 
Tennessee. During the memorable "cold spell" of New 
Year's 1864, the thermometer is reporte-d to have sunk at Mil- 
waukie and Janesville, Wis. to 40° below zero ; at Chicago, to 
29° below; at Kalamazoo, Mich., to 20° below; at St. Louis, to 
24° below ; and at Memphis, Tenn., to 16° below. The follow- 
ing figures exhibit the movement of the mercury at Northport 
and Traverse City during the same interval : 



Table lY. Observations during the cold cycle of 1863-4. 





Northport. 


Traverse City. 


1863-4. 


7 A. M. 


2 p. M. 


10 p. M. 


7 a. m. 


1 p. M. 


7 p. M. 


Dec. 31. 
Jan. 1. 

„ 2. 

„ 3. 

„ 4. 
„ 5. 


23 



-14 

-3 
4 

11 


28 
-8 
-6 
2 
11 
16 


18 

-14 

-3 

8 

7^ 


20 
3 
-14 
3 
1 
8 


29 
-2 
-4 
10 
17 
19 


28 
-12 

-3 
3 
8 

13 



This cycle of cold weather, which extended over the entire 
northwest and destroyed or damaged fruit trees in every 



27 

northwestern State, caused no damage whatever in the Grand 
Traverse region. 

Another characteristic of the winter of this region is its com- 
parative uniformity of temperature. The mercury neither rises 
as high nor sinks as low as in other regions along the same 
parallel of latitude. 

Other comparisons are no less surprising than those which 
have just been made. Autumnal frosts are postponed to a re- 
markably late period. Unlike other regions, frost seldom ap- 
pears till the mercury actually reaches 32°. The first killing 
frosts ordinarily occur throughout the region, between the 
middle and end of October. Sometimes they are delayed till 
late in November. They occur at Traverse City and south- 
ward from there somewhat earlier than at Northport, Glen 
Arbor and Frankfort. The first killing frost this year at Trav- 
erse City was a slight one, October 13th, but it did not reach 
Northport. Tomatoes and other tender vegetables were still 
growing thriftily at Northport and Pine River, and even at the 
head of Little Traverse bay, when I visited those places, Oct. 
27th and 28th. On the night of the 28th, however, the thermo- 
meter sank to the freezing point, and injured vegetation gener- 
ally throughout the region. On the 5th of November, it froze 
again. At the same time the mercury sank to 24° at Ann 
Arbor, and to zero at Bangor, in Maine. Nevertheless, when 
I left the region on the 8th of November, the leaves of apple 
and peach trees were still perfectly green, while those of the 
forest were partially changed and beginning to fall. On reach- 
ing the southei-n part of the State, vegetation presented already 
the appearance of mid-winter. 

Autumnal frosts occur only after days of very threatening 
severity. I observed that when, during the day, the thenno- 
meter rises as high as 40°, it is seldom crowded down to the 
freezing point the following night. At Ann Arbor we often 
get frost after the thermometer has been at 60° during the pre- 
vious day. 

Snow falls in November or December, before the ground 
has been materially frozen, and lies without thaAving till the 
following April. It accumulates to the depth of two or three 



28 

feet, and sometimes, in certain localities, to a greater dej^tb. 
Its disappearance is postponed till abouth the 10th of April, 
when the danger of severe frost is generally passed. The 
ground consequently escapes freezing throughout the entire 
winter, so that root crops may be left out without damage. 
Potatoes are thus, frequently, wintered in the ground without 
digging. It always happens that the few remaining in the soil 
after the crop has been gathered, vegetate in the following 
sjM-ing, and produce a spontaneous crop. Thus they propagate 
themselves from year to year, so that the Irish potato has be- 
come a naturalized weed, growing in corn fields and wheat 
fields, and sometimes in uncultivated fields, and by the road 
side. I saw potatoes growing in places where I was informed 
no seed had been planted for ten years. 

The same preservative eifects of snow are witnessed m other 
crops, and in the bulbs, tubers and roots of ornamental plants. 
The Dahlia blooms till the last of October, and after this the 
tubers may be left in the soil till the following spring, when, 
not long after the disapj^earance of the snow, they send up 
fresh shoots. Delicate green-house roses stand out with the 
same impunity as in Alabama and Louisiana. Mrs. Judge 
Fowler, of Majjleton, on the Peninsula, informed me that she 
had in her garden forty varieties of delicate roses, which stand 
out every winter. 

Wheat, of course, is never in danger of winter-killing in a 
region thus exempt from extremes of cold, and thus clothed 
during the entire winter with a thick mantle of snow. 

The presence of snow till the middle of April preserves vege- 
tation from the stimulating influence of occasional warm days, 
and the buds of fruit trees consequently remain dormant till the 
danger of severe frost is passed. When the snow finally dis- 
appears, the soil is in a condition to receive immediately the 
genial infiuence of sunshine and atmospheric action. The dis- 
agreeable period of mud caused by the slow escape of frost 
from the soil is unknown. The breaking up of the ice in the 
bay exposes the entire region to the equalizing influence of 
large bodies of water, and the region is thus nearlv as exempt 
from the destructive eflfects of late vernal frosts, as from those 



29 

of late autumnal ones. No damaging frost is liable to 
occur later than the middle of May, which is about the pei-iod 
of latest frosts in northern and middle Ohio. 

The mean temperatures of the four winter months at Grand 
Traverse, for five years, are as follows : 

December 25°.2 

Januaiy 23°, 2 

February 23°. 

March 29°.0 

The following are the means of four months of the year 1860 

at Northport: 

January 22°. 48 

February 22°. 91 

March 33°. 91 

April 40°.33 

The temperature of summer is as remarkable for its modera- 
tion and uniformity as that of winter. I have not had the op- 
portunity to examine any record of thermometrical observa- 
tions made during the summer, but the summer climate is ad- 
mitted to be exempt from extremes and sudden changes. Yet 
the mean temperature is sufficiently high to mature peaches, 
tomatoes, tobacco and the like. 

The facts which I have disclosed above touching the winter 
climate of the Grand Traverse region are well calculated to 
excite surprise ; but I think no one can question the figures. 
A moment's reflection, moreover, will reveal the reason for the 
peculiarities of the climjite of this portion of the State. The Grand 
Traverse region, like the peninsula of Florida, Sweden and the 
British islands, is subjected to the equalizing influences of large 
bodies of water. Lake Michigan borders the whole western 
slope of the State. In the region under consideration the body 
of water is greatly augmented by the bay which reaches its 
two arms thirty-four miles into the interior. Moreover, the 
triangle forming Leelanaw county is embraced by two large 
bodies of water, and enjoys a sitiiation unlike that of any other 
portion of the northwestern States. Our cold winds generally 
proceed from the southwest or west. Passing over the open 
water of Lake Michigan sixty miles in width, the temperature 
of which never sinks below 32°, it is impossible to avoid ab- 



30 

stracting a considerable amount of heat, so that when these 
cold westerly winds strike the Michigan shores of the lake, the 
severity of the winter gales is materially mitigated. Moreover, 
the severest and most destructive winter gales proceed from 
the southwest, and the trend of the lake is such that these 
winds, on striking the Grand Traverse shore have traveled 
over more water than southwest winds striking the Michigan 
shore in Ottawa, Van Buren and St. Joseph counties. 

But the thermometer on some occasions sinks to a minimum 
with an easterly or even a southeasterly wind — as in February, 
1857, when it sank twenty-four degrees below zero at Ann Ar- 
bor with an easterly wind and a cloudy sky. Before such 
winds the eastern shore of lake Michigan in St. Joseph county 
and northward experiences no j^rotection from the proximity of 
a large body of water. In the Grand Traverse region, on the 
contrary, the diameter of the peninsula is so much diminished 
that easterly winds retain the softening influence exerted by 
the waters of lake Huron. Moreover, the whole of Leelanaw 
county enjoys nearly as complete protection from easterly 
as from westerly winds. It is almost impossible for a gale 
from any direction to bring into Leelanaw county a tempera- 
ture of eighteen or twenty degrees below zero, the point at 
which the Ihnbs of peach trees are liable to be killed. 

No observations on the other elements of climate have been 
brought under my observation. It is obvious, however, that a 
region so environed by water must possess an atmosphere of 
suflicient humidity to offer a guarantee against habitual 
drouths. I am informed that no severe drouth has ever been 
experienced before the summer of 1864, when the whole north- 
west was parched to an unprecedented extent. 

VII. SALUBRITY. 

A region possessing such a climate, and such physical fea- 
tures as have been described above, can scarcely offer any other 
than favorable sanitary conditions. Accordingly, I was every- 
where assured by the inhabitants of the region that diseases 
are almost unknown. I heard of a few cases of typhoid fever 
in the neighborhood of Glen Arbor, and a few cases of dysen- 



tery about Leland and in Antrim county. Bilious diseases are 
foreign to the country. No ague was ever known to be indi- 
genous to the region. On tlie contrary, many chronic cases of 
suffering from malarious influence have been relieved and cured 
by a residence in the region. The uniformity ot the tempera- 
ture and the purity of the air and water are also favorable in 
pulmonary diseases ; and I learned of some rheumatic affec- 
tions that had been cured by a few months residence. 

VIII. TIMBER AND NATIVE PLANTS. 

Passing from a survey of the physical features of the Grand 
Traverse region, I proceed to offer a brief account of its natu- 
ral history. Generally speaking the region is covered by a 
magnificent growth of hardwood timber. The exceptions to 
this statement are few and unimportant. By far the most 
abundant species is the sugar maple {Acer saccharinum). This 
distributed generally throughout the region on both sides of 
the bay. It bears, however, a larger ratio to the whole forest 
on the west side. Mingled with this are the beech [Fagus 
st/^-ya^ica), white or American elm (l/lmus Americana), onA 
hemlock [Abies Canadoisis). The beech, as might be expected, 
is more abundant on the more coherent soils of the east side of 
the bay and in Grand Traverse county. The hemlock is pretty 
generally scattered through the forest of Leelanaw, Grand 
Traverse and Benzie counties, forming on an average about one 
fifteenth, or less, of the forest growth. It occurs less fre- 
quently in Antrim county. In certain situations where the soil 
is most retentive we encoimter patches of forest diversified 
with the black ash [Fraxinus sambucifolia), while the arbor 
vitae, or western " white cedar " ( Thuja occide7italis) holds 
joint possession with the balsam fir {Abies balsamea), in some 
moist and wet lands, and the tamarack {Larix Americana) 
sometimes crowds itself into the company of the other deni- 
zens of the ocv asional swamps. The white pine {Pinus stro- 
bus) is very partially distributed. Some majestic specimens — 
individuals of which attain a diameter of nearly five feet — may 
be seen in the south part of Leelanaw county on the east of 
Cedar run, where some wasteful settlers are engaged in fell- 



32 

ing them in winrows and wickedly burning them. A vahiable 
belt of white pine lies in the southeastern part of Benzie 
county on the upper waters of the Bees Scies river, and an- 
other on the upper waters of Boardman river in Grand Tra- 
verse county, whence the logs are floated to Traverse City and 
worked up in the mill of Hannah, Lay & Co., which, accord- 
ing to the "Statistics of Michigan, 1864," produced in 1863 
10,200,000 feet of pine hmiber, worth $112,000. The j^roduct 
of the present year is said to be twelve million feet. Another 
pinery exists in the interior of Antrim county on the tributa- 
ries of Grass lake. The logs from here are worked up in the 
mill of Dexter and Noble at Elk Rapids, which, according to 
the authority above quoted, produced, in 1863, 4,000,000 feet, 
valued at |1 0,000 — a valuation which would seem to be erro- 
neous. The product of the present year is probably nine mil- 
lions of feet. The county of Leelanaw is also reported to have 
produced in 1863, 395,000 feet of lumber (probably but little of 
it pine lumber), valued at $91,500.* 

Occasionally, as on the Peninsula, I noticed the Norway 
pine {Pinus resinosa) in company with the white pine, spar- 
ingly dispersed through the forest. 

The oak is not regularly distributed ; but in certain regions 
it constitutes an important feature. I observed the red and 
white oaks ( Quercus rubra and alba) growing abundantly on the 
sandy plains about the head of the two arms of Grand Traverse 
bay. I noticed the red oak growing also at Elk Rapids, and 
both oaks on the Peninsula. A grove of white oaks inter- 
spersed with black oaks, occupying 200 acres, flourishes on the 
north side of Round lake. I saw them also on the shores of 
Crystal lake in Grand Traverse county ; on the ridges back of 
Glen lake ; between Carp lake and Sutton's bay and in many 
other places. The trembling aspen or poplar ( Populus gran- 
didentata) is quite frequent fcbout the borders of clearings — 
especially on the Peninsula — while the balsam popular ( Pop- 

*These statistics, taken from the work referred to, disclose some curi- 
ous discrepancies. Following the figures, one dollar buys 4 feet of lum- 
ber in Lenawee county, 90 feet at Traverse City, and 400 feet at Elk 
Rapids. 



33 

ulus balsamifera ) is also occasionally seen in all parts of the 
region. I was greatly interested to notice this tree straggling 
for an existence on the bleak and sterile plateau of the Sleep- 
ing Bear Point. Its gnarled and miserably dwarfed condition 
proclaimed the nature of the conflict it had endm*ed ; and a 
wonder ai'ises Avhy a tree so ill adapted to the situation should 
attempt to establish itself where nothing else can maintain an 
existence. 

The yellow birch ( Betula excelsa ) is a frequent denizen of 
the forest, and sometimes grows to an extraordinary size. A 
specimen seen in Antrim county measured eleven feet and 
four inches in circumference four feet above the ground. The 
false white birch ( Betula popxdifolia ) is also frequently en- 
countered. The black cherry ( Cerasus serotina ) is not un- 
frequent, and sometimes becomes a troublesome intruder on 
the borders of clearings. The soft maple ( Ace7' rubrum ) 
occurs sparingly about Antrim and probably in other localities. 

This primitive forest presents to the eye of the traveller a 
scene of wonderful majesty, magnificence and interest. The 
towering hemlocks with their straight cylindrical trunks often 
three, four, or nearly five feet in diameter expand their crown 
of dark green spray at the summit, while the majestic maple, 
beech and elm lift their heads to an equal altitude, and mingle 
their paler and brighter foliage with that of the sombre ever- 
green. The undergrowth is scant, consisting of the striped 
maple ( Acer Pennsylvanicum ) and witch hazel ( Hamamelis 
Virginica) with patches of dwarf yew or ground hemlock 
( Taxus Canadensis') — the latter of which is much more abun- 
dant on the west side of the bay. The forest is therefore an 
endless colonnade of majestic pillars; and, but for the prostrate 
forms of the fallen patriarchs of the wood, a vehicle could be 
driven through the unbroken forest from one end of the region 
to the other. 

Some of the low grounds in the vicinity of Glen Arbor are 
covered with the cranberry vine ( Oxy coccus macrocarpus) 
and the half shaded borders of the lakes are often clothed with 
the evergreen bearberry ( Arctostaphylos iiva-iirsi. In most 
half-open situations the blackbei-ry ( Mubus villosus) and red 



34 

raspberry ( Ruhus strigosus ) flourish luxuriantly and afford 
an inexhaustible supply of fruit. The raspberry sometimes 
produces two crops in the season. I saw at several places, 
ripe fruit, green fruit and flowers existing together in the lat- 
ter part of October, upon canes of the current year's growth. 
The huckleberry ( Gaylussacia resinosa ) is also abundant in 
the sandy clearings about the head of the bay. The native 
strawberry of the region is Fragaria Virginiana, and it may 
be seen in fruit from June to October. 

A singular and interesting assemblage of trees and shrubs 
covers the Sleeping Bear proper, and by its dark green foli- 
age strongly isolates this pile of sand from the shining desert 
around it. The only trees upon the mound, besides some 
dwarfish balm of Gileads, are the balsm fir and white cedar. 
A stump of one of the latter, cut by the operators of the Lake 
Survey, measured two feet in diameter. The shrubs consist 
of the trailing red cedar {Juniperus Sabinoe), choke cherry 
{ Cerasus Virginiana), dogwood {Cornus florida), snow- 
berry [Symphoricarpus occidentalis), bearberry, wild rose, 
{Rosa blandaf) and frost grape ( Vitis cordifolia). The 
fruit of the latter, as well as that of the choke cherry was 
found to be quite palatable, though the leaves of the grape 
seemed to be uninjured by the frost, as late as the 24th of 
October. It is quite certain that the southern side of this lofty 
mound of sand would ripen the Isabella or Catawba grape with 
complete success. 

It will be remarked that the vegetation of the region does 
not present a northern aspect. The northern white birch 
( Betula papyracca ) is wanting, and the fir and spruce are 
but very feebly represented. The native strawberry is the 
Virginian species, and the pendent lichens, so marked a feature 
of the lake shore forest on the opposite side of the Peninsula, 
in the same latitude, ai-e entirely unknown. 

IX. ANIMALS. 

It is not intended imder this head to attempt an enumeration 
of all the animals of even a single class ; but only to bring 



35 

together a few statements of greater or less economical inter- 
est. The most conspicuous mammalian quadrupeds are the 
black bear ( Vrsus A'tnericamis ) the Virginian deer ( Cervus 
Virginianus), the red fox ( Vulpesfulvtis), the otter {Lutru 
Canadensis ) and various squirrels — among wich I noticed the 
black variety (juite frequently. The bear is nearly confined to 
the remote portions of Benzie, Grand Traverse and Kalkasca 
counties. Of birds, the ruffed grouse or partridge ( Bonasa 
umbellus ) is the most important, and affords a valuable article 
of food. The quail ( Ortyx Yirginianus ) has recently been 
observed in considerable numbers. Of fishes, the usual lake 
species occur in the bay, but not in such numbers to render 
fishing a business of mucli importance. The speckled trout 
( 8almo fontlnaUs ) occurs plentifully in all the streams of the 
region, and in many of the small lakes. Among insects, the 
mosquito ( <Jidex ^ninans) is one of the most conspicuous ; but 
it is worthy of mention that its disappearance for the season 
occurs as early as July or August. Indeed, the mosquito is 
much less troublesome in the Grand Traverse region than at 
Chicago. 

Another insect likely to become important from its ravages 
(joraraitted upon vegetation, is the canker worm moth {Anisop- 
teryx pometarla), and I tliiiik it worth while to present some 
account of its nature and luibits. 

In the latter part of May or early in June the young leaves 
of the maple, elm and some other trees are seen to be infested 
by myriads of " worms" (so-called), which are the larves of 
an insect belonging to the tribe of moths. These larves are 
furnished witli legs near the extremities only, and consequently 
move with a measured motion which has caused them to re- 
ceive the name of " span worms" or " measure worms." The 
fuUgrown larves attain the length of an inch or more. A great 
difference of color is observable among the worms of different 
ages. The young are generally of a blackish or dusky brown 
color, with a yellowish stripe on each side of the body, which 
is also whitisli on the under side. When fully grown they be- 
come paler on the back, and a black line appears above the 



36 

yellowish one on the sides. In some a grcenish-yelloAV color 
prevails ; in others, a clay color, with dark lines or spots vari- 
ously distributed on the sides and back. They commence 
their depredations by eating small holes in the leaves, which 
they continue to enlarge till, in some cases, the entire pulp of 
the leaf disappears, leaving little more than the mid-rib and 
veins. They attain full growth in June, when about four 
weeks old, and then begin to quit the trees. Some creep down 
the trunk ; but great nvimbers let themselves down by their 
threads from the branches. After reaching the ground, they 
immediately burrow in the earth to the depth of from two to 
six inches. Plere, by repeatedly turning and fastening the 
loose particles of earth by a few silken threads, they form little 
cells, and in twenty-four hours have changed to chrysalids. 
The chrysalis is about half an inch in length, of a light brown 
color, largest in the females. In the autum, after the ai^pear- 
ance of frosts, the perfect insects begin to make their ajjpear- 
ance from the crysalids. They appear at various times when 
the weather is sufficiently mild, from October to March. I saw 
countless numbers of the males Huttering over the surface of a 
light fall of snow, when riding through the woods early in No- 
vember. I had seen them previously, during a cold rain, in 
October. 

The females of the pei'fect insect are destitute of wings, and 
hence do not wander far from their place of birth. The males 
have a body about an inch and a half in length, and measure 
about an inch across the wings. The wings are rather large, 
thin, and covered with a grayish silky down. The hind wings 
are paler in color than the others. The females, on their ap- 
pearance, whether in autumn, Avinter or spring, make their way 
toward the nearest trees, and creep slowly up their trunks. A 
few days afterwards the males may be seen fluttering about 
them, when, after pairing, the females deposit their eggs in 
clusters of from sixty to one himdred, upon the branches of the 
trees. The eggs are glued to each other, and to the bark, by 
a grayish varnish impervious to water. Their task having been 
accomplished, the insects soon die. About the middle or last 
of May the eggs are hatched, and a brood of worms appears 



3V 

iqjoii the young foliage of the forest and fruit tree;^, which fur- 
nish these larves with their appropriate food. 

Feeling uncertain whether the canker worm moth of the 
Graml Traverse region is the same as the common species of 
New England, I forwarded some specimens to A. S. Packard, 
Jr., M. D., of the Boston Society of Natural History, who in- 
formed me that it is not the common species, but probably an- 
other one sparingly distributed over New England, and known 
by the name of Anisopteryx pometaria, Plarris, 

It is a fact of scientific, as well as agricultural importance, 
that this species exists in such abundance in a region so isolat- 
ed and so remote from Boston, which seems to have been the 
metropolis of the canker worms. 

I was informed that this insect caused consideral)le damage, 
the i)ast season, to apple orchards in the vicinity of Elk Rapids. 
As its depredations are likely to increase tor some time, instead 
of diminishing, it will be well to adopt some measures of re- 
straint. These, fortunately, are not difficult or expensive. The 
most effectual means are based upon the circumstance that the 
females are wingless, and are hence obliged to crawl up the 
trunks of the trees to deposit their eggs. Any means which 
will arrest the progress of the female will protect the tree. 
The editor of the A'^nerican Agriculturist recommends cover- 
ing the ground about the base of the tree with ashes. In New 
England, tar is frequently employed, by smearing a narrow 
belt around the ti-ee trunk, or by closely girding the tree with 
a band of clay, paper, tin or cloth that has been covered with 
tar. In this case, care must be taken that no room is left be- 
tween the tree and tlie girdle, through which the insects can 
ascend. Various other means have been recommended, for 
information on wdiich the reader may consult Harris' " Insects 
Injurious to Vegetation,-' Boston, 1862. It is obvious th;it 
whatever preventives are employed, must be resorted to 
before the chrysalids are changed. There are some reasons 
for believing this species to come out of the ground, principally 
in the autum, which is contrary to the habit of the common 
species {Anisopteri/x vernata, Harris). The remedies must, 
therefore, be applied in October and November, and renewed 



38 

again whenever the weather becomes mikl enough to stimixhite 
the insects to activity. 

Our warfare upon them need not cease after the appearance 
of the "worm" upon the trees in May. They may be destroyed 
by sprinkling on them finely pulverized quick-lime mixed witli 
ashes, at times when the leaves are Avet. Whale oil soap suds 
sprinkled on them Avill also kill them, as it does most other in- 
sects. These remedies may be employed where the number or 
size of the trees to be protected is not too great. 

X. GEOLOGY. 

1. General Geology. — The general geological structure 
of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan may be learned by refer- 
ence to my " Report of the Progress of the Survey of Mich- 
igan for 1859-60." The Grand Traverse Region, like most 
parts of the Peninsula, is covered with drift materials of sucli 
depth that exposures of the underlying strata are qiiite rare. 
In order, therefore to investigate the geology of the region, it 
is necessary to extend our observations considerably beyond 
its limits to other regions where the strata underlying this re- 
gion rise to the surface and present exposures. With this view, 
my personal examinations on the present survey were begiui at 
the head of Little Traverse bay, extending thence soutliAvard 
into Benzie county. The results embodied in the following 
pages, however, are drawn, to a large extent, from observations 
made in all portions of the Peninsula during the continuance 
of the public geological survey. Confirmations of the conclu- 
sions arrived at from the examination of outcrops beyond the 
limits of this region, have been sought in the soundings of the 
United States Lake Survey, and in the constituents of the drift 
materials of difierent parts of the region. 

The information which I have been able to obtain from all 
sources shows that the strata underlying the nortliAvestern 
slope of the Lower Peninsula of the State have a gentle dip 
southeastwardly, toward the middle of the Peninsula. This 
dip of the strata is preserved in traveling nortliAvest across 
Lake Michigan into the Upper Peninsula, and Avas undoubted- 
ly conununicated to the strata at the time of some eruption 



39 

and uplift occurring in the Upper Peninsula — perhaps at the pe- 
riod of the eruption of the trap of Keewenaw Point. We are 
not aware of the occurrence of any geological disturbances of 
later date than this eruption ; and there sre, therefore, some 
grounds for presuming that the disturbance which tilted the 
Lake Superior sandstone, tilted also the other strata of the 
Lower Silurian and even of the Upper Silurian and Devonian 
systems — extending its effects as far as the Lower Peninsula. 
Aside, however, from the general dip of the strata within the 
region under consideration, there are no considerable evidences 
of disturbance. The rocks along the south shore of Little 
Traverse bay present a series of broad, wave-like undulations ; 
and, on the east shore of Grand Traverse bay are seen two 
cases of abrupt dislocation, accompanied by a downthrow of 
three or four feet. 

The following table presents a view of the formations which 
will be brought under consideration in the present report: 

Quaternary System ) D ft 

Lower Carb. System Marshall Group. 

r u r^ \ Light Shales. 

fH^^^'^^^^^l'-- I Black Shales. 
Devonian System < Hamilton Limestones. 

[^ Corniferous Limestone. 
Upper Silurian System. . . . Onondaga Salt Group. 

2. Salina Group, or Onondaga Salt Group. — This series 
of argillaceous limestones, shales, sandstones and gypsum un- 
derlies the entire Peninsula, outcropping at the base of Mack- 
inac, Bois Blanc, Round and Little St. Martin's islands, and on 
the main land west of Mackinac. Passing thence under the 
Peninsula, it reappears in Monroe county, Michigan, and San- 
dusky bay, Ohio. On the west of Lake Michigan it outcrops, 
to a limited extent, near Milwaukie, and on the east, at Gait 
and that vicinity, in Canada West. It may come to the sur- 
face in some portions of the region between Little Traverse 
bay and the Straits of Mackinac — a region not yet geologi- 
cally explored. It furnishes the gypsum of the Grand River, 
in Canada, of Sandusky, Ohio, and of Onondaga county, New 
York. It abounds in the same deposit at Little Point au 



40 

Chene, west of Mackinac. It is also the source of the supply 
of briue to the salt wells of New York, and to those at St. 
Clair and Port Austin in this State. It underlies the Grand 
Traverse region, but the places of outcrop of the formation are 
far beyond its limits. 

3. CoRNiFEKOus LiMESTONE. — The clevatcd limestone re- 
gion south of the Straits to Little Traverse bay belongs to this 
formation. It thence dips under the Peninsula and reapjiears 
in Monroe county and the northern portions of Ohio and Indi- 
ana. Its western outcrop is in the bed of lake Michigan, and 
its eastern is under lake Huron. It is the most conspicuous 
and im]iortant limestone formation in the the Lower Peninsula, 
affording its principal supply of quicklime, and furnishing in 
places a building stone of considerable value. It is often sat- 
urated to a remarkable extent with petroleum and black bitu- 
minous matter, causing it to be generally regarded by the un- 
informed as an oil producing rock — an error which, in numer- 
ous instances, has only been discovered and admitted, after 
many thousand dollars had been wasted, in contempt of scien- 
tific authority. The formation does not outcrop within the 
limits of the Grand Traverse region as I have defined it. 

4. Limestones of the Hamilton Group. — As the pre- 
sent survey has thrown much additional light upon the geol- 
ogy of this formation, I shall proceed to give some account of 
the rocks belonging to it, at each outcrop within the limits of 
our region. 

Near the head of Little Traverse bay, south of the point — 
E side sec. 23 T. 35 N. 5 W. (Locality 855 of the Geological 
Survey) the following section is seen : 

Section at 855. 

E. Limestone, light, argillo-calcareous, in beds from 1 to 

8 inches thick 4 ft. 

D. Limestone, rather thick-bedded, somewhat porous, 
with an uneven fracture, and containing crystals of 
calcareous spar 4 ft. 

C. Limestone, thin-bedded, light colored, argillo-calca- 
reous, breaking into small angular fragments, con- 
tains corals 6 ft. 

B. Limestone, much broken, in beds from one to two feet 

thick 6 ft. 



41 

A. Limestone, pale buff", argillaceous, banded, containing 

fossils 2 ft. 

The dip at this place is about five degrees toward the south- 
west. 

About twenty rods Avest of this locality is a more consider- 
able ex^Dosure (856) extending along the beach for three-fourths 
of a mile and forming an escarpment which, at some points at- 
tains an elevation of thirty -five feet. The stratification is mostly 
horizontal, presenting slight undulations within distances often 
or twelve feet. Toward the western jmrt of the exposure the 
clifi' partially subsides. The trend of the coast is about south- 
west ; and when, near the mouth of Bear creek, the trend 
changes to west, the escarpment strikes inland by continuing 
toward the southwest. The following succession of strata may 
be made out at this outcrop : 

Section of Stromatopora Beds (856.) 
D. Limestone, pale buff, very massive, breaking in re- 
gular blocks, somewhat arenaceous, inseparable 
from the following, excej)t in its structure ; con- 
tains the same fossils 12 ft. 

C. Limestone, pale buff*, massive, brecciated in places, 
vesicular; falling down in huge blocks. Becomes 
more regular westward. It has a rude concre- 
tionary structure from the abundance of Stroma- 
topora (with large cells) 20 ft. 

B. Limestone, thin-bedded below, thicker above, bro- 

ken, with a 10 inch band of dark soil (bitumin- 
ous) at top and thinner ones below. Contains 
Atrypa reticularis, Favosites Alpenensis, &c. ... 10 ft. 

A. Talus or sloping beach of fragments 4 ft. 

The Stromatopora at this exposure is by far the most abund- 
ant fossil, constituting the principal mass of No. C, and ren- 
dering it a veritable coral reef. Fine specimens of this coral 
can be collected in any quantity, even to a shipload. The in- 
dividual masses are sometimes of an elongate-ovoid form, from 
two to four feet in length, with the concentric plates arching 
across the mass. These forms are found both erect and pros- 
trate. At other times they are more spherical, attaining a di- 
ameter of four or five feet, and giving the rock or reef a con- 
fused concretionary structure. From the abvmdance of this 
coral I shall designate the strata in which it abounds as the 
" Stromatopora Beds." 



42 

The stratum ISTo. C embraces also the following fossils: 
Atrypa reticularis, Merista, S^nrigera eoncentrica, Zaphrentis, 
Neliophi/llum, Mtvosites, Cystiphyllum, Stromatopora (small- 
er cells), Cladopora, Conoeardium, Tropidoleptus carinatus, 
and other species.* 

In the fields half a mile back from the bay I picked up 
Strophomena nacrea, Acervularia Davidsojii, Atrypa reticu- 
laris and Favosites Alpenensis. 

At the saw-mill on Bear Creek, half a mile above its mouth 
is an outcrop of dark brown, very bituminous limestone, 
abounding in Heliophpllum, Favosites Alpenensis, Atrypa re- 
ticularis. It is clearly the same bed as the dark bituminous 
limestone about Thunder Bay, where, as well as here, its place 
seems to be above the Stromatoj^ora Beds. 

About a mile southwest from Bear creek we find a consider- 
able exposure of a very different sort of rocks. This is on the 
S. E. \ Sec. 1 T. 34 K 6 W. (Locality 857). The rocks are 
seen to have a dip varying from 5 to 15 degrees, and extend- 
ing along the beach for 360 feet, with a mean dip of about 8 
degrees, which would give a thickness of 53 feet to the whole 
exposure. The following is a statement of the stratification : 

Section of Tropidoleptus Beds (857.) 

E. Limestone, argillaceous, sub-crystalline, the thinner 
layers shaly, terminated by a few inches of black 
shale 14 ft. 

D. Limestone, very dark chocolate colored, argillaceous, 

compact, much broken 3 ft. 

C. Limestone, very dark, bituminous, in beds from six 

inches to one foot thick, shaly or siibcrystalline . 12 ft. 

B. Limestone, dark brown, argillaceous, uneven bed- 
ded, breaking with a ragged uneven fracture .... 5 ft. 

A. Limestone, dark, compact, argillo-calcareoiis, break- 
ing with a smooth conchoidal fracture, much 
shattered 1 ft. 

The following fossils occur in the member A : Favosites Al- 
penensis, Acervularia Davidsoni, JPhillipsastrcea Verneuili, a 

*Little has been done in the paleontology of this region but to make 
identifications on the spot, as far as I was able. The lists of fossils 
given may seem to possess but little practical importance. They pos- 
sess, however, a scientific importance, and, indirectly, a practical im- 
portance ; and I feel assured there will be not a few readers of this Re- 
port who will scan these lists and geological sections with interest. 



43 

branching CjathoiphyWoid, Fenestella (small fenestrules) Fenes- 
tella (large fenestrules) Serpula, Strophomena nacrea, Stroph- 
omena (large), Tropidoleptus carinatus, Spirifer mucronaUis, 
Spirifer sp f 

The following occur in the three upper members : Favosite» 
Alpenensis, Zaphrentis, Acervularia Davidsotii, Chonetea 
(small, flat,) Chonetes (winged, large,) Atrypa reticularis, Te- 
rehratula JRommgeri, JSTuciilites. 

The strata at this locality seem to be the same as at the saw- 
mill on Bear creek, and their position is apparently above the 
Stromatopora beds at .'*56. 

Proceeding about 100 rods along the shore we reach 858, a 
bluifSO feet high, mostly covered by clay, pebbles and and 
sand. Some rocks containing Acervularia Davidsoni outcrop 
near the base of the blufl:', and the place of these beds can be 
traced back under the soil-covered ridge to 857, but their strat- 
igraphical relation to the rocks at 857 is very obscure. 

On the S. W. 1 Sec. 2 T. 34 N. 6 W. (861) occurs another 

outcrop, remarkable for the abundance and beauty of the fossil 

corals which it furnishes. The rocks embracing this deposit 

of corals I propose to designate as the "Acervularia Beds," 

and the particular stratum in which they are most abundant 

the " Coral Bed." 

Section of Acervularia Beds (861.) 
D. Shale, bluish, argillaceous, imperfectly seen at top 

of bank 2 ft. 

C. Limestone, varying from dark to light gray, in beds 
from one to four feet thick, with a rough, some- 
what granular fracture. Considerable argillaceous 
matter in the upper part. Few fossils 23 ft. 

B. Limestone, light or yellowish buff", varying to dai'k 
chocolate, argillo - calcareous, breaking with 
smooth fracture into irregular, sharply angular 
fragments, rather even-bedded in layers 6 inches 
to 2 feet thick. In the upper part alternating 
with bands of black bituminous calcareous shale 
and blue clay, 6 to 12 inches thick. The clay 
beds abound in beautifully preserved corals — 
Acervularia Davidsoni, Favosites Alpeyiensis, 
Zaphrentis Travet'sensis, &c. The bituminous 
bands burn quite freely, and have frequently 
passed for deposits of mineral coal 17 ft. 



44 

A. Limestone, grayisli brown, compact, argillaceous, 
uneven-bedded, with smooth conchoidal frac- 
ture, embracing in its upper part a 4 inch 
stratum of black bituminous argillaceous lime- 
stone replete with Atrypa reticularis and consid- 
erable numbers of 8tromatopora and Acervula- 
ria Davidsoni 

The following additional species occur at this locality in Bed 
B : Favosites explanatus, F. mammillatus, Callopora, Fistu- 
lipora (2 sp.) Aulopora (2 sp.) Trematopora, Fenestella, Spir- 
orbis, Crania crenistria, Crania (sp?) Aulopora cyclopora, 
Cystiphyllum Americanum, Atryjmsp? Tropidoleptus (3 sp.) 
Terehratula Bomingeri, Stropliodonta demissa, Cyrtia Ham- 
iltone7isis, Spirigera concentrica, Spirifer rmicroiiatus, Spirifer 
(3 unrecognized species), &c., &c. 

The stata embraced in the above section seem to be the equi- 
valent of the eminently fossiliferous and often argillaceoiis 
beds well known at other localities, as Partridge Point in 
Thunder Bay, Widder and Saul's mills, in Canada West, and 
Eighteen-mile creek in New York. Their stratigraphical cor- 
relation to the other outcrops along the shore of Little Traverse- 
bay is less obvious, as the coa t line runs along nearly in the 
strike of the formation. As, however, marked lithological and 
paleontological distinctions exist at the diftercnt exposures, it 
becomes necessary to decide upon their actual order of se- 
quence, hoAvever provisionally we do it. The difficulty is en- 
hanced by the presence of numerous undulations of the rocks 
in the direction of their strike. At the locality under consider- 
ation the dip is toward the east or northeast, so that the strata 
would be carried under 857; but there are sufficient grounds 
for presuming that they rise again and pass over 857. Lideed, 
the resemblance between the rocks at 857 and the lower i)art 
of 861 is sufficiently exact to indicate this superposition. 
Moreover, we have found on the opposite side of the State a 
similar superposition, where the coral beds of Partride Point 
hold a place above the bituminous Tropidoleptus Beds of 
Thunder Bay Island. 

So far, therefore, Ave may be justilied in assuming the fol- 
lowing order of superposition of strata of the Hamilton group. 



45 

3. Acervularia Beds, 858, 861. 

2. Tropicloleptus Beds, 857. Bear creek. Saw-raill. 

1, Stromatopora Beds, 856. 

Rocks apparently identical with those of the last locality 
outcrop again at 862— S. W. ^ Sec. 4 T. 34 N. 6 W. The 
coral clay bed is thinner and less exposed. The following is 
the section : 

Sectioyi at 862. 
C. Limestone, bnif, massive but shattered, cri;:oidal 

stems abundant in the upper part 15 ft. 

f Coral clay 8 in. 



B 



J Limestone as above the clay 2 ft. 

] Lignite, calcareous and earthy, one to 3 in. 

(^Limestone, bufl", thick-bedded, shattered, with 
bands of lignite. Contains Acei'vularia, /Strom- 
atopora (wide cells), Zaphrentis, Favosites, 
Cyrtia, Trop'idoleptus^ and Gomphoceras . ... 15 ft. 

A. Limestone, dark, line, compact, thin-bedded, with 

conchodial fracture, extends under the water. . 12 ft. 

The dip here is quite rapid toward the west, but the strata 
rise again in the distance of about half a mile, at 863, where 
we find a section as follows, embracing a dome-like elevation 
of the strata, from the summit of which they dip in opposite 
du-ections : 

Section at 863. 
Limestone, huffish, broken. Contains Stromatopo- 
ra and Acercularia, and in the upper part, nu- 

B. { merous crinoidal joints. (Thickness not no- 

I noted) 

(^Limestone, similar to above, thick-bedded 4 ft. 

A. Limestone, dark, fine, comprct, thin-bedded, 
breaking with conchoidal fracture. Extends 
under water 8 ft. 

Thirty rods further west these strata arch up again, disaj)- 
pearing finally with a westerly dip. 

The next outcrop — at 865, Sec. 1 T. 34 X. 7 W. — presents 
strata of very difl:erent physical characters, in a blufl" about a 
mile long, and rising about 20 feet above the water level. The 
whole thickness of strata exposed is about 41 feet. The for- 
mation presents an undulating section, showing not less than 
four considerable synclinal axes, and finally disappears with a 
westward dip. 



46 

Section of the Buff Magnesian Beds (865.) 

K. Limestone, brownisli-buff, magnesian, arenaceous, 
moderately coherent, vesicular, thick-bedded, 
more grayish in the upper part, contains a few 
casts of shells in the lower part 15 ft. 

D. Limestone, darker colored, somewhat argillaceous, 
in broken layers from 1 to 4 inches thick. Con- 
tains JVuculites 6 ft. 

C. Limestone, brownish-buff, magnesian, silico-argilla- 
ceous, porous, vesicular in streaks, in beds from 
1 to 2 feet thick. Contains a band of Favosites. 
Reaches to water level at east part of the expo- 
sure ; further west is succeeded by the follow- 
ing : 15 ft. 

B. Shale, calcareous, soft, blue 5 ft. 

A. Limestone with Acervularia comes to view only at 

one point 

There is great difficulty in deciding upon the stratigraphical 
position of this section. I think, however, it lies above any 
rocks thus far described, because rocks Avhich I assume to be 
the Acervularia Beds are seen to Le beneath these thick-bedded 
strata at one point in the section. Moreover, the rocks in ques- 
tion finally disappear with an eastward dip, and range them- 
selves apparently but a short distance below the uppermost 
strata exposed near Antrim. 

The next exposure on the bay shore is seen at Pine River 
Point— 880, N. W. i Sec. 28 T. 35 K 8 W. A limestone 
reef extends aroiuid the point, and just on the south of the 
point the rock rises in a broad swell, affording the following 

section : 

Section at Pine Biver Point (880.) 

D. Shaly bituminous bands, corresponding perhaps to 
the Lignite of 862 

C Limestone, containing Acervularia, Tropidoleptus, 
Favosites, Zaphrentis, Stropliomena nacrea and 
a little Stromatopora 4 ft. 

B. Limestone, very shaly and thinly laminated, con- 

taining Fenestella, Stictojoora, Tentaculites, Tre- 
niatopora, Ohmtetes, Chonetes scitula, Tropidolep- 
tus (3 species), Cyrtia Hamiltonensis, Spirifera 
Marcyi (but with extended wings four inches 
broad along the hinge) S. Marcyi (typical) S. 
mucronata (4 inches broad), Strophomena (with 
regular clean ribs and flat dorsal valve) Spirige- 
ra concentrica, Terehratula'i 10 ft. 



47 

A. Limestone, thick or thin-bedded, dark, highly cal- 
careous, with green stains. Contains Atrypa 
reticularis, Spirt fer mucronatus, Stro2)homena 
nacrea, &c 5 ft. 

It would appear that the body of this exposure is in the same 
horizon as that at 857 — the " Acervularia Beds," coming in 
above. It is obvious that the general dip of the strata at this 
point is toward Pine river, since the great abundance of Acer- 
vularia on the shore between here and Pine river proves that 
the " Acervularia Beds" at the top of the bluff' pass under the 
liarbor of Charlevoix. This conclusion is corroborated by the 
fact that, in travelling north, after passing that portion of the 
beach on the north side, in which Acervularia most abounds 
among the fragments, we succeed to enormous quantities of 
hard, fine and sharply angular fragments, whose position is not 
far above the " Acervularia Beds " ( 805, D ). Mingled with 
these, moreover, are worn fragments of the brownish-buff' mag- 
nesian beds of 865. It appears, therefore, that the rocks dip 
from both directions beneath the harbor of Charlevoix, and 
that Pine river finds its outlet along a partial synclinal axis, 
produced by local undulations of the strata. 

The " Acervularia Beds " rise to the surface again at 881 — 
on the line between sees. 29 and 32 T 34 N8 W ; and still again 
at 882, W I sec. 8, T 33 N" 8 W. 

The last out-crop of the limestone is at 884, N" E ^, sec. 34, 
T 33 N 9 W, Emmet county, at which the following exhibi- 
tion of strata is observed : 

Section of " Chert Beds " (884). 

E. Limestone, gray, in beds one to two feet thick, very 
hard, with cavities containing sulphide of iron, 
and calcareous spar 11 ft. 

1). Limestone, gray, in lamina? a quarter of an inch 
thick, with intervening sheets and concretions 
of chert. Contains a few Favosites 9 ft. 

C. Limestone, brown, in beds one foot and less in thick- 
ness 4 ft. 

B. Limestone, bluish, shaly 1 ft. 

A. Limestone, bituminous, irregular, broken 1 ft. 

The dip here is toward the southeast. The rocks seem to be 
quite distinct lithologically, from any others along the coast. 



48 

The thinly L^mmated or shaly limestone beds (D) graduating 
into, or alternating with, thicker limestones, resemble the rocks 
at 880, B, but, if identical, the abundant fossils of the last- 
named locality would scarcely be entirely wanting. A very 
peculiar character is also imparted by the abundance of chert. 
The hard massive limestone above these beds is not seen else- 
where, and constitutes, so far as observed, the uppermost mem- 
ber of the Hamilton limestones, since the dip at this place, 
would bring it immediately beneath the " Black Shale," which 
makes its first appearance about a mile further south. 

Putting together the observations made atthe various points, 
we are enabled to arrive, for the first time, at some definite idea 
of the order of sequence of the various members of the group 
of Hamilton limestones. This sequence may be thus exhibited: 

V. Chert Beds, (884) 24 ft. 

IV. Magnesian Beds, (865) 35 ft. 

in. Acervularia Beds, (858, 861, 862, 863) 23 ft. 

II. Tropidoleptus Beds, (857, lower part of 862, 880, 

881) *. 15 ft. 

I. Stromatopora Beds, (855, 856) 44 ft. 

Total 141 ft. 

The Acervularia Beds probably find their equivalent in the 
upper part of the bluff at Partridge Point, in Thunder Bay, oti 
the opposite side of the State, and again at Widder and Saul's 
Mill, in Canada West. The Tropidoleptus beds are found re- 
produced in the bituminous limestone of Thunder Bay island, 
and the lower tails of Thunder Bay river. The Stromatopora 
Beds are seen emerging from below the water level on the 
northeastern side of Thunder Bay island. The Magnesian and 
Chert Beds have not as yet been elsewhere identified — thono;h 
we find a series of limestones near the upper falls of the Thun- 
der Bay river, which have not yet been coi-related with the 
other members of the group. 

The Hamilton limestones sweep across the mouth of GraTid 
Traverse bay and determine the general trend of the coast 
from Light House Point to near Frankfort on the Lake. The 
water at the mouth of the bay shoals to 10 or 15 fathoms, 
gradually increasing in depth southward in the direction of the 



49 

clip of the rocks to 103 fathoms opposite Old Mission ; while ou 
the north, the increase of depth is more abrupt, corresponding 
to the sublacustrine escarpment. The limestones of this group 
form a reef about Light House and Cathead points, and again 
in Canfield's harbor. They form the basis of that tongue of 
land known as Carrying Point and of Bellow's island off the 
mouth of Northport harbor. It is probable that the same for- 
mation constitutes the foundation of the Manitou islands, since 
the depth of water between the North Manitou and Pyramid 
Point (or North Unity) does not exceed 25 fathoms in the 
deepest part, and shoals abruptly in both directions to 7 fathoms 
and less. 

5. Shales of the Huron Group. — In following the shore 
from Little to Grand Traverse bay, we find the " Chert Beds " 
succeeded, within the distance of a mile, by an outcrop of bitu- 
minous shale. This first appears at 888 — Sec. 3 T. 32 N. 9W., 
Antrim county. It rises toward the south and finally attains a 
thickness of about six feet. It is a rather hard, black bitumi- 
nous shale containing iron pyrites, and, in the lower part of the 
exposure, some bands of silicious shale looking like a recur- 
rence of the thin chert beds of 884. On exposure, the shale 
cracks into multitudes of small angular fragments and finally 
disintegrates. 

This bed can be traced in a bluff a little retired from the 
shore and covered with soil, to 889, about forty rods distant, 
where it again outcrops in a bluff about 15 feet high, present- 
ing nearly the same lithological characters as before. The oxy- 
dation of the pyrites, on exposure to the air, produces a reac- 
tion which forms a whitish eflHorescence of sulphate of iron, or 
copperas, on some of the exposed surfaces, and thus greatly 
disguises the real characters of the rock. 

The same formation outcrops again at 890, which is only 
about 20 rods south of 889. The lithological features remain 
the same, though the entire thickness of the black shale here 
exposed is about 20 feet — some enthusiastic, but deluded, 
searchers for coal having opened an excavation about six feet 
in depth. 



50 

At 891 — S. W. i Sec. 11 T. 32 N. 9 W.— is another and 
important exposure of this formation, giving a view of about 20 
feet in thickness. The shale for an interval of about 40 rods 
exhibits evidences of sume geological disturbance. The strata 
are sometimes abruptly broken into huge angular blocks stand- 
ing at all angles. It is difficult to decide what agency frost 
may have had in producing these dislocations. At a spot a few 
rods further south, however, are seen two narrow, nearly verti- 
cal fissures, now filled with calcareous spar. The whole mass 
of shale is hitersected by divisional planes, making an angle of 
70° with the stratification. No dip appears along the general 
face of the section, but at a notch in the coast line there is seen 
a dip of 6^° toward N 51° E, which is nearlyin the direction 
of the strike of the formation. It will be observed here as else- 
where throughout the peninsula, that the normal dip of the for- 
mation is quite imperceptible, and the only dip which can be 
detected is merely local, produced by the undulations of the 
rocky sheets, and may be in any direction whatever. 

From this shore the bituminous shales strike toward the 
northeast, and are next known on the north side of Pine lake, 
about 6 miles from Pine river dock. The locality — 868 — N. 
E. ^ Sec. 3 T. 33 N 7 W — is about 20 rods back from the shore 
of lake Michigan, at a point about one mile soiith of Frankfort, 
in Benzie comity, as I have been informed. In the intermediate 
distance no actual outcrop is at present known. As these shales, 
however, are extremely friable, and their fragments could not 
bear the violence of a prolonged transportation, I consider it 
sufficiently exact for a provisional determination, if we assume 
the place of oiitcrop of the formation to lie along the belt of 
most abundant surfiice fragments. Relying iipon this criterion, 
we are led to infer that the black shale strikes the west shore 
of Grand Traverse bay, in the neighborhood of New Mission, 
and passes thence southwest to Carp lake, which it crosses 
about a mile below " the narrows. " It is next re- 
ported about six miles east of Glen Arbor, but I cannot vouch 
for the statement. I have, however, seen fragments to the 
southeast of Glen lake in the presumed trend of the forma- 
tion. 



51 

The black shale thus traced is the same formation as that in 
Tiiuiuler bay on the opposite side of the State, at Kettle Point, 
and at varions other localities in Canada West. It is the eqniv- 
alent of the " black slate " of Ohio, Indiana, Kentncky and 
Tennessee— cxtendmg even into Alabama. It is the Genesee 
shale of the NeAV York geologists. Its identity with the Gene- 
see shal-e rather than the older Marcellus shale with which it 
was formerly identified, is established by its stratigraphical 
}>osition both in Grand Traverse and Thunder bay. It is 
ranged immediately above the limestones of the Hamilton 
group instead of below them, in the place of the Marcellus 
shale. Moreover, the black shale of the Hm-on group, though 
almost uniformly destitute of marine fossils, has at length afford- 
ed me a few specimens from near the mouth of Bear Creek, in 
(■anada West. Among these I identify Discina Lodensis and 
Leiorhynchics muUicosta — species known to be restricted to 
rocks above the Marcellus shale in the State of New York. 

The black shale of the Huron group is known to be succeed- 
ed in ascending order by a great thickness of whitish or green- 
ish and more or less calcareous shales and clays ranged under 
the same group, though thus far totally unproductive of fossils 
for the determination of their affinities. The most consj^icuous 
outcrop is seen on the east shore of Grand Traverse bay at 893 
^ — Sec. 36 T. 32 N. 9 W., Antrim county — extending thence 
southward for half a mile or more. It seems to be formed by 
a gentle swell of the formation, with minor subordinate undu- 
lations. The rocks are a calcareo-aluminous shale, occurring in 
layers from half an inch to two or three inches in thickness. In 
some portions of the exposure, the layers are somewhat arena- 
(a^ous, and at times assume the characters of a shally argilla- 
ceous sandstone. The whole thickness exposed is about 15 
feet. Two noticeable folds occur at this exposure Avithin 30 
feet of each other, and a third a few rods fui'ther north. The 
first and last present each a downthrow of about a foot. The 
middle one is much the greatest, presenting a downthrow of 
about four feet. These dislocations are not j^roperly faults, for 
the strata are not fissured, but rather folded as if by a powerful 
lateral pressure. This is as great a disturbance of the strata aS 



52 

has been noted in the lower peninsula — a similar one occurrino; 
in rocks of nearly the same age in the neighborhood of Pt. anx 
Barques. 

The green shales strike southwest across the bay, but no 
actual outcrop of rocks of this character has been observed in 
that direction. Areef of light calcareous shale exists off" Mission 
Point, and, judging from knowledge of the formation obtained 
in other parts of the State, the position of this reef is probably 
above the green shale, but not far removed. Striking diagon- 
ally across the " Peninsula," the light calcareous shale appears 
just beneath the water level on the north side of Tucker's Point, 
—Sec. 17 T. 29 K 10 W. 

I have not discovered the means of tracing the green and 
light colored shales any further. It may be assumed, liowever, 
that their strike continues southwesterly along a line nearly 
parallel with the outcrop of the black shale. Their thickness 
is not adequately indicated by the few exposures accessible, 
since, in other portions of the State we find it to reach four or 
five hundred feet. 

It is probable that this series of greenish and light colored, 
argillaceous and arenaceous shales corresponds to the Portage 
group of New York. If the overlying Marshall sandstone 
should finally be shown to occupy a position above the Che- 
mung group of New York, it will become necessary to admit 
that the shales under consideration embrace both the Portage 
and Chemung groups of New York. In this case, the Huron 
group, as orginally defined, will extend from the bottom of the 
Genesee shale to the to^) of the Chemung group. 

6. Marshall Sandsone. — No stratified rocks higher in the 
series than the light shales have been observed within the limits 
of the Grand Traverse region. There are, however, geological 
reasons for believing that the southeastern poi'tion of this region 
is underlaid by the buff, and triable sandstone of the Marshall 
group, which immediately succeeds the Huron group. Noth- 
mg more than an approximate indication of the boundary of 
this sandstone can be made; and this has been at- 
tempted on the map, by drawnig a line so as to cut oft' nearly 



53 

the whole of Kalkasca county, and the southeastern angles of 
Antrim and Grand Traverse counties. 

v. Dkift Materials. — All parts of the Grand Traverse re- 
gion, like other portions of the lower peninsula, are buried be- 
neath accumulations of sand, gravel and clay, entirely destitute 
of a stratified arrangement, or presenting only a confused or 
irregular stratification. These deposits are the product of geo- 
logical agencies that have been at work during the last period 
of the world's history. Their average thickness in this region 
is unknown. It is probable, however, that they are 50 feet thick 
at Northport, 60 at Sutton's bay, 100 at Traverse City, and 
from two to four hundred in the interior of Leelanaw and Ben- 
zie counties. 

If we examine the structure of these deposits, we find the 
surface generally composed of sand, with occasional belts and 
jxatches of clay. The sandy constitution extends downward a 
varying depth, sometimes 50 or 100 feet; but we always en- 
counter, sooner or later, one or more beds of clay. The clay 
deposits are in the form of vast sheets or basins, inclining at all 
angles, ovei'lapping each other in various ways, and disposed 
at various depths, with sand both above and below. The bot- 
tom of the drift accumulations, however, is made up, generally, 
in this, as in other regions, of an enormous bed of clay, pebbles 
and boulders, resting on the outcropping edges of the rocks. 

If we examine the mineral constitution of the Drift de- 
posits, we find that most of the boulders and pebbles of the 
underclay are derived from granitic, syenitic, dioritic, quartz- 
ose and gaeissoid rocks, and micaceous, talcose, hoi'nblendic 
and silicious schists. No such rocks are found in place within 
150 miles. These fragments have been transported from 
the upper peninsula of the State. We find corroboration 
of this opinion in the discovery of masses of native copper 
mingled with the other materials. One such mass found near 
Northport weighed pounds, and was sold for eighty dol- 
lars. If we examine the fragments of rock disseminated through 
the arenaceous and more superficial portions of the Drift, we dis- 
cover, from their mineral character and their fossil remains, that 
they have been to a great extent derived from the rocks im- 



54 

mediately underlying, or outcroppins; but limited distances to- 
wards the north. The coarser Drift materials are, therefore, 
partly of local and partly of foreign origin. The s'ource of the 
fine sand and the fine argillaceous deposits is somewhat more 
obscure. Without attempting to elaborate the evidences, it is 
enough to state that the boulder clay is believed to have had a 
northern origin, while the fine sand may have been derived 
from rocks of various ages, removed to various distances from 
their place of deposit, but is believed to have been mainly 
derived from arenaceous limestones of the Hamilton, Cornifer- 
ous and Onondaga salt groups. The innumerable fragmcTits 
of these limestones — especially the Hamilton — dis- 
seminated through the soil and subsoil, have been for ages 
undergoing a slow decomposition. The calcareous matter 
escapes in a state of solution and affords an important fertiliz- 
ing constituent of the soil, while the imperishable grains of 
sand loosened from their bonds by the solution of the calcareous 
cement, become a principal portion of the finer material of the 
soil. 

It is a very general opinion that the ruggedness of some j^or- 
tions of the Grand Traverse region is caused by disturbances 
of the underlying strata. I have, however, failed to discover 
any correspondence between the configuration of the surface 
and that of the underlying rocks. Tlie hills are mere piles of 
Drift materials. The Drift was originally left Avith an imeven 
surface, but the depressions have been subsequently further 
scooped out by the erosive action of rains and torrents. 
The same agencies are continually wearing down the hills by 
removing the finer and looser materials to the valleys. If the 
configuration of the hills be attributed to uplifts of the under- 
lying rocks, this is to suppose that the underlying rocks 
have at some time undergone a great degree of dis- 
turbance — much greater than the appearance of the rocks 
would wari'ant at any place where we have been enabled to in- 
spect them. We know that everywhere else the strata of the 
lower peninsula repose in nearly horizontal planes. It is only 
in eruptive regions like that of Lake Superior, that we find the 
rocks forming the backbone of the hills. 



5h 

But Ave need not speculate on the constitution of the hills. 
, The erosion of lake Michigan along the eastern shore has 
gnawed away the land, till in some instances, the water-line has 
been carried to the very heart of the highest eminences in the 
country. The sloping lakeward faces of Mount Carp, North 
Unity, Sleeping Bear Point, Empire Bluff and Ft. aux Bees 
Scies are natural sections through the highest parts of some of 
the hills. In every case they fail to disclose any rocky ledges, 
but on the contrary, exhibit accumulations of pebbles, sand 
and clay to the very water's edge. 

The topography and vegetation of Sleeping Bear Point have 
been already described ; and I have just stated that this pro- 
minent land-mark from the lake is merely an enormous pile of 
diluvial rubbish. Toward the base, thick bands of pale bluish 
and purplish clay crop out, separated by beds of gravel and 
sand. Some portions of the surface also expose masses of 
gravel rendered adhesive by an intermixture of clay. Here 
and there a huge boulder protrudes above the general suface, 
polished like the smaller fragments, by the incessant pelting of 
sand particles driven before the wind. Much of the plateau is 
strewn with small angular fragments of chert; and it was long 
before I accounted for the preservation of their sharp angles 
among deposits that have suffered so much from attrition. 
I discovered at length a few large boulders of chei't-bearing 
limestone — apparently from the Chert Beds of the Hamilton 
group, as I subsequently learned — in which imbedded masses 
of chert had been shattered in situ, perhaps by the action of 
frost. The dissolution of the inclosing limestones loosens the 
cherty chips, and the winds and rains strew them over the bald 
surface of the plateau. 

The beds of clay at the bottom of the Drift are frequently 
found so free from pebbles and so evenly stratified as to be 
easily mistaken for some member of the ai'gillaceous series of 
the Huron group. This is the case with some of the beds out- 
cropping in the high beach of lake Michigan, between Leland 
and Cathead Point, as also at North Unity and Sleeping Bear, 
and on the west side of the Peninsula south of Bower's harbor. 
In other cases the similitude of an older formation outcropping 



56 

171 sitit is sometimes assumed by beds of fine sand either 
cemented by carbonate of lime, so abundant in the soil, or 
simply stuck together by clay. Phenomena of this kind are ob- 
served in the bed and bank of a small creek at Provemont, and 
also on the east shore of Carp lake, north of " the narrows." 
The latter kind of formation is comparatively recent, as is 
proved by the presence of inclosed stems or leaves of modern 
vegetation, or the shells of fresh water molluscs, or by the oc- 
currence of uncemented Drift beneath them. The former kind 
of formation may be assigned to its true position by observing 
whether, in any part of its extent, it embraces water-worn peb- 
bles, or jDresents great and abrupt variations in constitution, in 
the regularity of its stratification, the thickness of the separate 
layers or the persistence of the dip. 

8. Ligjstitic Deposits. — At numerous places in the Grand 
Traverse region we find accumulations of vegetable matter and 
silt presenting a brown or blackish color, and occuring under a 
somewhat stratified arrangement. These accumulations occupy 
a position above all the stratified rocks, and the indications are 
that they are of more recent date than the boulder clays. At 
the same time we often discover tliick deposits of sand, clay 
and shingle resting above them. They occur at various eleva- 
tions, from a depth of eight or ten feet beneath the water level 
of lake Michigan to the height of fifty feet above. The most 
noteworthy instances Avill be cited. 

In the neighborhood of Brownstown, at the southern termi- 
nation of the green shale already described, occurs the follow- 
ing series of strata : 

Section of Ziignitic Deposit. 

F. Fine yellow sand — the subsoil of the region 12 ft. 

E. Small boulders, pebbles and coarse sand with shells 

of MeJania and Physa 7 ft. 

D. Clay, soft, arenaceous and bituminous 2 ft. 

C. Xilgnite, somewhat impure, containing stems of 
cedar and other exogenous vegetation, passing 
above and below into a more argillaceous state . . 3 ft. 

B. Clay, dark gray, very tough, with some sand and 

small pebbles and bituminous matter 2^ft. 

A. Green clay, ap])earing to be produced by the disin- 
tegration of the green shale which holds a position 
immediately below, though not in juxtaposition, 2 ft. 



57 

The clay, lignite and green shale lie nearly in the same level, 
and their succession is made out only by carrying the observa- 
tions laterally for a short distance. The lignite beds are 
spoken of as bituminous. They are so to some extent, but 
most of the vegetable matter is rather in a peaty or carbona- 
ceous condition. 

The foregoing observations were made in 1860. At the 
present time a large part of the exposure is covered up by 
sand, Avhicli has run down from above. But, on the other 
hand, we were now enabled to make observations which were 
not made five years ago. The lignitic bed is found passing 
under the sand which intervenes between the blufi" and the 
Avater's edge, and can be seen beneath the water at a distance 
of three rods from the shore. Moreover, I was informed 
by a fisherman, that they penetrate it in driving their stakes 
for pound nets where I saw them, at the distance of a third of 
a mile from the shore, in water said to be eight or ten feet 
deep. 

The occurrence of this deposit at such a depth beneath the 
water level, and at such a distance from the shore, renders 
it necessary to adopt with great caution, any ex^^lanation iden- 
tifying it with an ancient accumulation of drift wood stranded 
on the beach. At the same time there are not sufficient evi- 
dences of its sedimentary origin; especially since, at other 
localities, a similar formation is found at considerable eleva- 
tions above the lake. 

On the east side of Carrying Point, near Northport, I ob- 
served a similar deposit at the water's edge, and extending a 
few inches beneath the surface. This rests on the vmdulating 
surface of a shingle beach, and, in one or two places, is seen 
to extend back into the borders of the forest, passing under 
the recent accumulations of leaves and shrubbery, and pre- 
senting the ordinary characters of a peaty deposit. 

Again, on the sloj^ing face of Sleeping Bear Point, in the 
vicinity of the " Little Bear," are seen bands of dark, ligmtic 
matter, forming irregularly disposed belts along the exposed 
section. On examination, some of these are foimd to consist 
of sand, mhigled with peaty particles. Above and below is 



58 

blown sand, and the whole mass is apparently a mere dnnc 
formation — the peaty particles assorted out by eddies of wind. 
These peaty 2i:xrticles, however, had their origin in the turfy 
soils with Avhich some portions of this Point liave, at some 
time, been covered, and relics of which are found still pre- 
served, and i^resentii.g, in other places along this bluff, out- 
Ciopping beds of better characterized lignitic material. 

Similar accumulations of peaty or lignitic matter are exposed 
by the erosion of most of the streams emptying into Carp lake 
from the west; also about a mile northwest from Traverse 
City, in the bed and banks of a creek ; also on Petej* Stewart's 
land. Sec. 17 T. 29 K 10 W., on the Peninsula; also at 
Whitewater, Sec. 21 T. 28 K 10 W., on the land of A. T. 
Allen. At Northport, in the bed of the creek back of the 
Traverse Bay Hotel, is a mass of bedded 2:)eat containing fresh 
water shells, and, in places, becoming marly. In another situ- 
ation, and deprived of its shells, this deposit would pass for 
lignite; but in this situation, with springs oozing out of the 
banks, and fresh water shells so abundant, the deposit can 
scarcely be regarded as anything different from ordinary peat. 

From the observations made on the lignitic accumulations 
of the Grand Traverse region, I am led to think that the prin- • 
cipal de]50sits are not sedimentary accumulations formed in 
the bottom of the lake (and bay) near the shore ; nor masses 
of stranded dr.ft vegetation ; nor materials bedded in the Mod- 
ified Drift by either marine or lacustrine action at heights 
above or below the present water line ; nor do I think changes 
of level in the lake waters have had any connection with their 
occurrence above or below the present water level. They 
seem to be ancient peat beds formed ia situations kept moist, 
in some cases, by access of water from the lake, in others by 
the percolation of spring water from contiguous sand banks. 
They may hence occur at any elevation above the Avatcr level, 
and present exact adaj^tations to the inequalities of the subja- 
cent surface. The erosion of the lake and bay shore has 
caused these peaty areas to be invaded by the waves, Avhieh, 
while they could not, without unusual violence, rend to pieces 
the peaty matter bound together as it is by interlacing stems 



69 

and fibres, could nevertheless wash out the fine sand on which 
the peat bed rested, and cause it, by degrees, to settle down 
to the water level, and even beneath it. 

XI. ECONOMICAL IJVIPORTANCE OF THE VAKIOUS 
GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS. 

1. Salt. — The Onondaga salt group, which underlies the 
entire region, is the source of supply of the gypsimi and brine 
of central New York. It furnishes the gypsum of the Grand 
River region of Canada West, and of Sandusky bay in Ohio. 
It is also known to contain a large supply of gypsum in this 
State at Little Pt. an Cheue, west of Mackinac. I have als 
shown that the salt wells of Port Austin and St. Clair, in this 
State, are su^^plied from this source; and have expressed the 
opinion that this group of rocks will be found equally produc- 
tive in other portions of the lower peninsula. The position of 
the Grand Traverse region is such that I should be led to hope 
for success in boriiig into this formation. The well authenti- 
cated existence of an ancient salt sprmg on the neck of land 
connecting Harbor (or Hog) island with the Peninsula, I should 
regard as a confirmation of this opinion, since, if a fissure ex- 
isted in the overlying rocks, the brine would tend to rise by ' 
hydrostatic pressure, as through an artesian boring. Deacon 
Dame, of Northport, one of the oldest residents of the region, 
has fui-nished me with detailed information, which seems to 
fully authenticate the current tradition relative to the former 
existence of this spring. 

Mr. H. G. Rothwell, of Detroit, likewise informs me that a 
salt spring exists on the soutluvest corner of Sec. 35 T. 26 N. 
16 W., which is less than three miles from Frankfort, in Benzie 
county. Undoubtedly this spring is siapplied from the same 
source. 

Very great difiiculty exists in estimating the depth from the 
surface at which the formation would be struck. If an experi- 
ment were to be made at the head of the East or West bay — 
points where the basin would be found most depressed, and 
the brine, consequently, most concentrated — we might venture 



60 

to make tlie following approximate estimate of the thickness of 
the intervening formations : 

Drift Materials 120 feet 

Light and Black Shales 400 " 

Hamilton group 140 " 

Corniferous limestone 200 " 

Onondaga Salt gronp 50 " 

Total 910 " 

The light and black shales (Huron group) attain a thickness, 
ill the southern part of the St ite, of about 600 feet, but I be- 
lieve the indications do not justify so high an estimate for the 
Grand Traverse region. The Corniferous limestone is about 
300 feet thick at Mackinac, but not over 100 feet thick in 
Monroe county. I think the question of salt would be suf- 
ficiently tested within 1000 feet. 

2. Petroleum. — The Hamilton group is the formation in 
which most of the oil is obtained at Oil Springs, Petrolea and 
Bothwell in Canada West. It consists there, as here, of a 
series of limestones, shales and shaly limestones. The oil ac- 
cumulates in the loosely constituted shaly limestones; in the 
numerous small fissm-es of fissile clay shales ; in vertical fissures 
^and irregular cavities in the massive limestones, and in the 
pores of a buffish, porous magnesian limestone at the bottom of 
the series. The deposits of oil possess no considerable lateral 
extent, since wells even upon the same acre of ground seldom 
interfere with each other. The oil also accumulates, some- 
times in enormous quantity, in a bed of gravel or sand re^iosing 
at the bottom of the Drift materials upon the top of the rock. 
This is a thick oil used for lubricating purposes. 

At Petrolea the black (or Gfinesee) shale is not found over- 
lying the rocks of the Hamilton group. At Oil Springs the 
thinning edge of this formation is encountered in about the 
middle of the productive area. This thickens toward the west, 
until, in some wells not over a mile distant, the formation has 
attained a thickness of 40 to 50 feet. At Bothwell the black 
shale occurs of considerable thickness. The same is also true 
of the undeveloped regions of Wyoming, Dawn and Chatham 
in tlie peninsula of Canada West. 



61 

There are belts within the G-rand Traverse region corres- 
,pondiug in geological position with each of the localities jnst 
named ; and I believe there are good geological reasons for 
anticipating success in an attempt to obtain oil. The region 
from the head of Little Traverse bay to ISTorthport, and tlience 
to Leland, Glen Arbor and Frankfort, is situated like the region 
about Petrolea, except that the drift materials, inland from the 
lake shore, are accumulated in deeper masses. The best situ- 
ation for making experiments would be at points sufficiently 
covered to have prevented the evaporation ot the oil, but yet 
sufficiently depressed to avoid imnecessary boring through the 
overlying sands. 

The line which marks the western boundary of the Genesee 
shale — already indicated — marks out a belt of positions simi- 
lar to that of Oil Springs in Canada West ; while a strip of 
country a little further east would be found circumstanced 
similarly to the Bothwell oil region. 

It cannot be expected that oil will be found generally and 
indiscriminately distributed throughout this area, but I should 
be surprised if half a dozen imdertakings, judiciously located, 
should fail entirely of bringing the coveted Huid to light. 

Surface indications are quite common throughout the region, 
of which the following are a few examples. 

In a stream at Lindsley's house, at Sutton's Bay. Mr. de 
Belloy and I have demonstrated that this proceeds from a 
marsh half a tuile distant on the hill-side. Strong indications 
exist also on the farm next north of Lindsley's. 

On Carp lake, near the landing of Cornelius Jones, I saw a 
film of oil, and brought up bubbles of inflammable gas by stir- 
ring the bottom. 

On the east side of the lake, a little further down, I saw sim- 
ilar indications. I saw the same again near the head of the 
north arm of the lake. Again, on the back part of Buck- 
man's farm, and throughout that region, north of Leland, on low 
groimds. 

On the west side of Carp lake, near the head, on land of 
James Nolan, I noticed indications ; and also at numerous 



62 

points between Nolan's and Provemont. No smell was notice- 
able, and in many cases the oil was mixed with an iron film. 

Mr. McPherson, living on the east side of the bay, about 
four miles south of Antrim, assured me that he had detected a 
strong smell of kerosene in passing tlie outcrop of green shale 
in that vicinity. One of his boys asserted that he found the 
smell so strong, one day, that he hunted long for the fragments 
of the jug of kerosene which he was convinced had been bro- 
ken at the spot. Mr. de Belloy gives similar testimony to the 
occurrence of a strong smell in the same vicinity, at certain 
times. The same is also asserted by Mr. Blakcly, living near 
Torch lake. 

About two miles from Northport, on the road to New Mis- 
sion, I saw a fine film of oil on standing water. 

In the border of the swamp back of Deacon Dame's resi- 
dence at Nortliport, ai"e very characteristic indications. Gas 
also escapes at intervals in a spring near the house. In calm 
weather a copious escape of oil can be seen from Rose's dock. 
The oil rises and spreads in a fine film with dichroic refrac- 
tions on the surface of the water. Tlie same is seen again at 
tlie mouth of the creek near the dock. 

Similar phenomena are seen on Manseau's creek at Pishaw- 
bey-town. So says Mrs. Page. 

On the land of Rev. Mr. Smith at Northport, I saw abun- 
dant films of oil, with some iron. The same can be seen 
on standing water near the creek back of Traverse Bay Hotel. 

On the northeast shore of Leg lake, I saw several small oil 
springs, with much iron. 

On land of Rev. George Thompson at Leland, I saw slight 
petroleum indications near the house, and also about a cattle 
spring -A, quarter of a mile northwest of the liouse. 

Supposed oil indications occur on railroad section 3 T. 32 
N. R. 7 W., about a <|uarter of a mile from the north side of 
Pine lake. 

In the low ground about the head of the West Arm of the 
bay, I noticed abundant films of oil on the surface of standing 
Avater. 



63 

The numerous instances in which the escape of oil and gas 
to the surface has been observed, tend to confirm very strongly 
the induction based on stratigraphical data, and afford full 
justification of attempts to reach, by boring, the reservoirs 
whence the oil escapes. 

H. Clays. — The Drift formation, besides supplying an ad- 
mirable quality of silicious sand for plasteruig, contains large 
deposites of pure clay for bricks and pottery. In some cases 
this clay is already mixed with a suflicient amount of sand for 
immediate use. Along the elevated beach north of Carp river, 
is an exposure of an enormous deposit of fine fawn-colored 
clay, quite free from pebbles of ever)- sort. It is compact and 
soniewhat fissile, but undoubtedly belongs to the drift forma- 
tion. The same deposit outcrops again at ISTorth Unity, at 
Sleeping Bear and at Empire Bluff. At either point a manu- 
facture of bricks could l)e established which would rival 
Milwaukie both in the cheapness of production and the fine 
(piality of the bricks. Beds of excellent clay occur at Frank- 
fort within the limits of the town plat. 

Clay of similar quality, but somewhat mixed with boulders, 
occurs on the bay shore south of Antrim. A bed of boulder 
clay abuts upon the bay at New Mission, and forms the basis 
of the promontory on which the Seminary stands. A short 
distance back of Fisher's house at Glen Arbor, a land slide 
has uncovered an excellent bed of pure clay. At Antrim a 
second beach, a few rods inland, is formed by a bank of pink- 
colored, boulder-bearing clay. 

It is a mistake to suppose the clay of the region is not 
adapted to brickmaking. No doubt limestone pebbles may 
become mixed with the clay employed, but a good article can 
be successfully selected. William Wilson informed me that 
he made 2,000 bricks from a bed of clay two miles below New 
Mission, and they proved unexcejitionable. The color was 
that of Milwaukie bricks. Of the whole quantity not one has 
bursted from the presence of limestone pebbles. At Elk Rap- 
ids 100,000 bricks of Milwaukie color were made, and all 
were good, except a few made from material taken near the 
surface of the bed. 



64 
XII. FARM CROPS. 

The descriptions which I have given of the nature of the 
soil and climate of the Grsnd Traverse region, will pre- 
jjare the reader for the statement which I now make, 
that the region is capable of producing any crop which flour- 
ishes in the northwestern States, as far south as the latitude of 
Cincinnati. In order to give definiteness to the testimony 
which I am about to produce, I shall furnish names, localities 
and figures. Where anything is given on the authority of 
others, the production of their names will render them respon- 
sible for the statements. 

1. Wheat. — The staple crop of the region, at present, is 
winter wheat. The mildness of the autumn enables it to secure 
a good start, while the mantle of snow with which the country 
is covered during the winter, insures the crop against winter- 
killing. Very rarely I heard accounts of " smothering" in lim- 
ited localities. 

Mr. Hannah informs me that the average j^roduction of 
wheat about Traverse City is 25 to 30 bushels per acre. 
Morgan Bates, Esq., says the first crop of wheat pays for clear- 
ing the land. In 1864, he cleared 27 acres of heavily-timbered 
land, hiring all the labor. The clearing, fencing with tempo- 
rary fence, seed, plowing part, sowing, harvesting and thresh- 
ing, cost $892. The wheat raised was 500 bushels, which sold 
at Traverse City at |1.60 a bushel, amounting to $896. This 
yield is only 21-^ bushels per acre, but Mr. Bates states that 
an unusual amount was wasted by improper harvesting. The 
land is now worth $30 per acre. 

Rev. Merritt Bates published the following statement in 
1863: Cost of clearing ten acres, fencing, seed, cultivation, 
$285. Product, exclusive of waste caused by threshing in the 
open air, 268 bushels, worth at the door $1.25 per bushel, $335 
— ^besides straw worth $50. 

James Orr, one mile south of Antrim, raised winter wheat, a 
sample of which was stated by dealers at Battle Creek to be 
the finest known in the State. William Johnson, on the east 
side of Elk Lake, raised this year 30 bushels of winter wheat 



65 

to the acre. In the Monroe settlement, in Grand Traverse 
county, winter wheat averages 28 bushels to the acre. In 
1863, William Monroe raised 30 bushels, and his brother Henry 
38 bushels to the acre. 

2. Corn. — The variety of corn most prevalent is the yellow 
eight-rowed corn. It has been demonstrated, however, that 
dent and King Philip corn and other varieties, will ripen with 
certainty. I saw Mr. de Belloy and others husking corn fully 
ripe in the middle and latter part of September, and I was 
assured that the crop was sufficiently ripe quite early in Sep- 
tember. I saw fields of corn fully ripe about the same time, 
near the north end of Carp lake, and also on the west side, 
toward the head of the lake. It was growing thriftily on the 
steepest hill-sides, in fields which, in some cases, had not been 
plowed. I saw dent corn fully matured and twelve feet high 
on the land of Stejjhen Perkins, near Long lake. At Leland, 
I saw ears of King Philip corn, raised by H. S. Buckman, 
which were 10|- and 11 inches long, well filled out and matured. 
I saw similar ears at Traverse City, — also luxuriant specimens 
of Ohio dent corn. Enoch Wood, four miles south of Elk 
Rapids, brought to market two loads of dent corn equal to any 
produced further south. Wm. Monroe informed me that he 
raises good crops of corn — some of which is dent corn. Dent 
corn was raised this year by E. P. Ladd, at Old Mission. 
Corn is not so sure a crop at Pine river. 

3. Oats. — On the west side of Carp lake, I saw as good 
crojjs of oats as ever in my life. Mr. Hannah states that oats 
always bring an excellent crop. I saw in tlie office of Mr. 
Bates, at Traverse City, a bunch of oats 7 feet and 9 inches 
high, raised on land of John Cornell, 20 miles south on the Ne- 
waygo state road. The w^hole field is said to have been extra- 
ordinary, though I was assured that many farmers have raised 
fields of oats six feet high. Mr. Monroe informed me that he 
raises 50 bvishels of oats to the acre. 

4. Buckwheat. — As might be expected, buckwheat also 
flourishes luxuriantly. I never saw better fields than on the 
west side of Carp lake. The crop is generally said to flourish 
well, but is not perhaps extensively introduced. 

5 



5. Potatoes. — The finest potatoes of the country are pro- 
duced in this region. The soil and climate seem to be admir- 
ably adapted to the crop. Thousands of barrels are shi])ped 
to Chicago annually. They often pass in the market for Mack- 
inac potatoes, as that region had a reputation established many 
years ago. The potato grows without cultivation in the Grand 
Traverse region — the entire crop being often left in the ground 
till spring, and scattered tubers taking root in fields cultivated 
for other crops. Mr. Fisher, of Glen Arbor, had potatoes grow- 
ino- in a field where they were planted six years ago. 

The potato grows large and smooth and is uniformly healthy. 
I saw at Traverse City, a Carter potato, raised four miles west 
of that place, on land of Rev. Merritt Bates, and measuring 8^ 
inches in length and 9 inches in circumference. In Campbell's 
store, at Northport, I saw three Peach-blow potatoes, weighing 
respectively 19|-, 20 and 26 ounces. Deacon Dame informed 
me that he had raised 300 bushels of potatoes to the acre. 
He also says that a single hill sometimes yields considerably 
over a peck, and that whole fields wiU average a bushel to 
every eleven hills. This was done on land of Mrs. Daniel 
Knox, two miles west of Northport. Mrs. Page, of Pishaw- 
bey-town, says she raised from one hill a half bushel even fuU 
of Lady-finger potatoes. It was only one hill of a patch. Mr. 
J. W. Washburne says he raised on one stalk of Peach-blow 
potatoes, over a half peck — all large ones. This was in a half 
acre lot, the soil of which had been cultivated several years. 
W. W. McClellan, of Northport, showed me a potato of Clin- 
ton variety, raised on land of James Martin, 2| miles north of 
there, which measured nine and seven-eighths inches in length 
and weighed 33^ ounces. Mr. Tilley, at Leland, showed me 
two potatoes of the Cazenovia variety weighing 18| and 20^ 
ounces respectively, ten days after being placed in a dry at- 
mosphere. They were raised two miles south of Leland. Mr. 
Gerard Verfurth exhibited a potato of the same variety, raised 
in the village, which weighed 27 ounces. I saw potatoes of 
the California variety, raised by Rev. Mr. Smith, of Northj^ort, 
measuring 8^ inches in length, and a black Meshannock 8f 
inches long. 



67 

6. Hat. — Timothy hay proves a successful crop. Mr. Bates, 
of Traverse City, has 33 acres seeded, which he calculates will 
pay him the interest on |3,000. If it brings only one ton to 
the acre, he will receive a profit of $9 per ton, or $307 on the 
whole, which is ten per cent, on |3,070, or about |93 per acre. 
Rial Johnson, four miles south of Elk Rapids, has one of the 
oldest farms in the coimtry, and raises superior Timothy hay. 
Mr. E. Pulcifer, south of Elk Rapids, got 19 loads of red clo- 
ver hay from three acres planted to an orchard. He keeps 
nine cows, and makes butter and cheese for the market. He 
proposes to enlarge his dairy. I saw first rate Timothy hay in 
the fine, capacious barns of William Monroe, in Grand Trav- 
erse county. 

7. Other Crops. — Tm-nips grow with the utmost luxuriance, 
as I have observed on the west side of Carp lake, at various 
places about Traverse City, and along the road thence to Glen 
Arbor. Mr. Sprague, near Leg lake, in Leelanaw county, 
directed my attention to a fine field of turnips, and assured me 
that he once raised a flat turnip which weighed 17 pounds (!) 
Carrots grow well. Mr. Stewart, on the Peninsula, showed 
me a bed of carrots which were from two to three inches in 
diameter, the seed of which was planted Ji^ly 1st. He showed 
me parsnips of a still larger size. I saw fine carrots back of 
Glen Arbor. Tomatoes ripen well. I met with them at va- 
rious points. Mrs. Joseph Batey raised three tomatoes in the 
south part of Traverse township, which weighed 40 ounces 
each. Mrs. Dixon informed me that tomatoes do not mature 
well at Pine river. I saw an excellent crop of white beans at 
Rial Johnson's ; and also large, plump marrowfat peas. 

XIII. FRUITS. 

As a fruit-growing region, it is doubtful whether any other 
part of the United States will compete with this. Apple trees 
were planted on the first settlement of the county, and have 
always grown well and borne luxuriantly. The characteristics 
of the trees and fruit are healthfulness, luxuriance and large 
size. Rev. Mr. Smith, of Northport, has a young orchard in 
which I saw various familiar varieties in a greater degree of 



68 

perfection than in any other part of the country. The average 
size of the Rhode Island Greenings was eleven inches in cir- 
cumference — weighmg eleven ounces. Seedling apple trees 
were loaded with fine winter fruit. Fine young orchards are 
coming into bearing on all parts of the Peninsula, and thi'ough- 
out the country south and southeast of Elk Rapids. Mr. Han- 
nali, at Traverse City, has planted an orchard of about forty 
acres containing 1,000 trees. At New Mission, I witnessed the 
most beautiful exhibition of apples that ever met my eyes. 
An orchard on the seminary grounds, about 14 years old, was 
completely loaded with large, fair, richly-colored fruit of old 
and new varieties. It was a marvel of luxuriance and beauty. 
I saw whole trees borne down with apples from four to four 
and a half inches in diameter, and weighing from 14 to 18 
ounces. These trees were planted and reared by Rev. Peter 
Dougherty, the intelligent and useful superintendent of the 
mission. I saw young apj^le trees flourishing luxiu-iantly in 
the ueio-hborhood of Glen Arbor, and in nearly all other parts 
of the region. 

It was formerly supposed that the climate was unsuited to 
peaches, but different persons having from time to time planted 
a few peach stones, it was ultimately proven that the peach 
flourishes in perfection. At Leland, I saw trees laden with 
ripe fruit in September. At New Mission, the peaches which 
I saw were as great a marvel as the apples. Some measured 
eio"ht and nine inches in circumference. The seedling fruit 
was so abundant that no attempt was made to gather it. 
Thomas Tyre, on the Peninsula, brought to market this year 
75 to 100 bushels of peaches. Rial Johnson, on Elk lake, 
raised 200 bushels from a small orchard, the seeds of which 
were planted ten years ago. Rev. Mr. Smith, of Northport, 
succeeds with peaches. Mr. Fisher treated me with peaches 
raised at Glen Arbor. I saw thrifty trees growing on the 
farms back of Glen lake. Mr. Ahnon Young, on the south 
side of Round lake, raised superb peaches ; also Mi*. Amos 
Wood, two miles from Elk Rapids. Mr. Wood's trees have 
been bearing regularly for six or seven years. Mr. E. Pulci- 
fer near Whitewater creek, raised 20 bushels of peaches. I 



69 

was informed that peach trees come into bearing in four years 
from the seed. I heard of only one instance of complaint of 
mnter-killing of peach trees, and that was at Monroe's, 12 
miles south of Traverse City and 20 miles from lake Michigan, 
Nectarines are raised by Judge Fowler, at Mapleton, on the 
Peninsula, and probably at other places. Plums produce pro- 
fusely, and are exempt from all insect ravages. I measured a 
shoot of this year's growth five feet long on a plum tree in Mr. 
Fisher's yard at Glen Arbor. Mr. L. R. Smith, at Elk Rapids, 
raised, one stem of Early Orleans variety which bore 22 plums, 
averaging four inches in circumference. He also raises the 
Washington plum. Rial Johnson raised five bushels of plums. 

The diiferent varieties of cherries thrive equally well. I saw 
flourishing trees on Mr. Smith's place, at Northport; also at 
Glen Arbor. Mr. Wm. J. Bland, at Elk Rapids, has a Bigar- 
reau cherry tree that has borne regularly for four years. I 
saw thrifty trees on the place of E. Pulcifer. 

Pears thrive wherever they have been tested. Mr. Smith's 
soil at Noi'thport is probably peculiarly adapted to pears, and 
they flourish very finely. They do about equally well at New 
Mission. I saw good trees also at Glen Arbor, and in the 
Whitewater region. Mr. Smith also succeeds with quinces. 

Grapes thrive admirably throughout the region — though 
wherever I saw them they were retarded in development by 
lack of pruning, by excessive crops, and by too much shade. 
I saw grapes bearing well at Leland. At New Mission, I saw 
Isabella and Catawba grapes ripened on neglected vines in a 
situation badly exposed to the sun. Mr. Smith's vines were 
literally borne down with their burden of ripe and unripe fruit 
in the latter part of October. L. A, Thayer, on the east side 
of Torch lake, raised superb Concord grapes. His vines have 
been bearing four years. Isabellas ripen early in SeiDtember. 
Judge Fowler, at Mapleton, has matured Isabella grapes for 
four or five years past. 

This region is the native home of the red currant, the red 
raspberry, and the blackberry. Currants are unsurj^assed. 
Raspberries bear with the utmost luxuriance, either in the cul- 
tivated or uncultivated state. I saw ripe raspberries in Octo- 



10 

ber, on the Peninsula, growing on canes of the present year's 
production. The same canes bore green fruit and flowers. 
This phenomenon is of frequent occurrence. Mr. Tilley, of 
Leland, informed me that he had, on the last of October, ripe 
black-cap raspberries growing in his garden, on this year's 
canes. Strawberries flourish as well as in any part of the 
world. Mr. Hannah, of Traverse City, informed me that he 
raised this year 25 bushels from a piece of grovtnd 50 by 75 
feet. Mr. Stewart, on the Peninsula, assured me that he could 
pick strawberries in his fields every day from the first week 
in June till the approach of snow. 

Few situations suitable for cranberries exist, but Mr. Fisher 
informed me that a marsh along Crystal creek produces them 
at the rate of 300 bushels to the acre, and he proposes to avail 
himself of this source of revenue. 

The secret of the wonderful adaptation of this region to the 
production of fruit, is found in the characteristics of the soil 
and climate heretofore described. It is likely the sandy plains 
to the south of the East and West Arms of the bay will be 
found well adapted to the raising of peaches. The region best 
protected from danger of winter-killing and late spring frosts, 
lies between the bay and the lake, in Leelanaw county ; and 
yet actual results demonstrate that the peach flourishes, hith- 
erto without drawback, several miles east and south of the 
bay. 

The recent discovery of the admirable adaptation of this 
region to the purpose of fruit growing, has caused very gene- 
ral attention to be directed to the subject. Almost every 
farmer is enlarging his plantations. When at Traverse City, 
on the 8th of November, I witnessed the arrival of 32 cases of 
fruit trees from the nursery of T. D. Ramsdell, of Adrian. 
Mr. Mace Tisdale, who had made contracts for this large sup- 
IDly, informed me that he was introducing |4,100 worth of fruit 
trees this fall. 

XIV. THE INDUSTRIES OF THE PEOPLE. 

The leading occupation of the inhabitants of this region 
must necessarily be the cultivation of the soil. E\idcntly, 



71 

however, in a country so densely wooded, the duty which first 
urges itself upon the attention of the new settler, is to eifect a 
clearing. As pioneers generally desire to realize as speedily 
as possible the avails of their labor, the chopping and sale of 
"coi'd wood" has unavoidably engaged a large share of atten- 
tion ; and the shipment of cord wood to Chicago, and its sup- 
l^ly to propellers running on the lakes, have become an impor- 
tant branch of business. In November last, the cost of 
chopping a cord of propeller wood was $1.25, and a cord of 
shipping wood $1.50. The difierence is caused by the greater 
care requisite in the prejDaration of a cord which will pass the 
market regulations in Chicago. Propeller wood was selling 
on the dock at $3.00 to $4.00 a cord. Shipping wood on the 
beach was selling for $3.00 a cord; on the dock for $4.00. 
Freights to Chicago Avere exorbitantly high ; but the state of 
things was evidently exceptional and temporary. Even at the 
existing charges for freight, the price in Chicago left a fair 
margin for profit to the shippei\ 

Thousands of cords of bee oh and maple wood, in the haste 
to efifect a clearing, are simply chopped and burned on the 
ground. It is obvious that two or three potash establishments 
would save an enormous waste of ashes, and furnish a desira- 
ble convenience lor the pioneer. I am not aware that the 
manufacture of potashes is carried on at the present time in 
any part of the region. It was suggested to me that a man 
prepai'ed to buy ashes or " black salts," and to furnish in ex- 
change such commodities as farmers generally need, would 
succeed in doing a profitable business. He should keep potash 
kettles for sale to farmers residing at distances too great to 
justify the transportation of the ashes. These kettles would 
be used in the manufacture of "black salts" on the ground, 
thus materially reducing the bulk of the article to be trans- 
ported to the ashery. It is estimated that every ao'e furnishes 
from 350 to 500 bushels of ashes. 

Another use to which the forest may be immediately con- 
verted is the raamifacture of maple sugar. This branch of in- 
dustry is mostly left to the unskillful and untidy management 
of the Indians. It is estimated that one man can manufacture 



^2 

from 400 to 600 pounds of maple sugax' in a season. This, at a 
season of the year when no other occupation than wood-chop- 
ping is practicable is a source of revenue which the pioneer 
ought not to neglect. 

The manufactui-e of lumber is carried on only at two or 
three points, and though over 20 millions of feet are annually 
produced, it can scarcely be r'?garded as an occupation in which 
the people generally are concerned. 

The manufacture of bricks and pottery, though not yet es- 
tablished, is destined to become an important branch of busi- 
ness both for home supply and for exportation. 

The manufacture of wooden ware of all descriptions might 
be successfully carried on where the finest qualities of maple, 
beech, wliite and black ash and white pine are so readily ac- 
cessible on the immediate shore of navigable waters. 

Sagacious business men have, also, long since suggested the 
propriety of the erection of furnaces at Northport, Frankfort 
and other points, for the purpose of smelting the ores of iron 
from the upper penmsula. The ores of Marquette can now be 
delivered by railroad at Escanaba, which is only 85 miles by 
water from Frankfort, and about the same distance from North- 
port ; while the almost inexhaustible forests of hard timber in 
the Grand Traverse region render it the most desirable portion 
of the State for the economical ojieration of blast furnaces. 

XV. SETTLEMENTS. 

Charlevoix, commonly known as Pine River, though scarce- 
ly within the limits of the Grand Traverse region, is destined 
to become an important point. It is a new settlement, having 
a substantial dock, a store and several private dwellings. It is 
claimed that eleven propellers have entered into arrangements 
for " wooding" at the dock next season. The dock and fifteen 
acres of land along the beach are owned by the New York 
Central Propeller Company. The river has four feet of fall at 
this place. 

Antrim City has just been founded by Mr. L. H. Pearl, w^ho 
has erected a substantial dock and engaged extensively in the 
sale of cord and propeller wood. The country back of Antrim 



73 

is becoming rapidly settled, and must soon demand the conve- 
niences of a store and hotel. 

Eastj)ort is just founded by an enterprising gentleman of 
Detroit. 

BroA^Tistown is at present a mere fishing station. 
Elk Rapids is by far the most important point on the eas 
side of the bay. It was founded by Messrs Dexter and Noble, 
who have made substantial and valuable improvements — erect- 
ing a first (lass dock, saAV-mill and boarding-house, and open- 
ing a store, at which the sun-ounding country is supplied with 
all classes of goods at reasonable rates. Two hundred barrels of 
flour were made here in 1864. The Elk Rapids Eagle is pub- 
lished weeekly by E. S. Sprague, Esq. An appropriation of 
$3,000 has been made toward building a court-house and jail. 

Petobego is the name applied to the settlement around Pe- 
tobego lake. 

Whitewater Post-ofiice is located at the mouth of White- 
water creek. 

Hoxie and Havilet have a dock at the southeast angle of 
the East bay. 

New Sweden is a settlement, now nearly abandoned, whch 
clustered around the saw-mill at the head of the East bay. 

Mapleton Post-office is located on Sec. 27 T. 29 N. 10 W. 
on the Peninsula. 

Old Mission (Grand Traverse Post-offlce) is situated near 
the point of the Peninsula, on the east side, and was the first 
spot occupied by the white man. 

Bower's Harbor, or Haight's, is a wood dock and point of 
shipment, near the head of the harbor. 

Traverse City is the largest and most flourishing settlement 
in the region. It is situated at the head of the West Ai-m. It was 
founded by Messrs. Hannah, Lay & Co., who have erected very 
extensive and substantial docks for lumber and shipment, and 
have opened a wholesale and retail store, at which anything 
may be purchased, from a paper of pins to a steam engine. 
The saw-mill of this company is one of the largest and best 
equipped in the State. The j^lace contains also a steam flour- 
ing mill which produced 500 bai-rels of flour in 1804, two good 



74 

hotels, one or two other stores, a school-house, blacksmith 
shojjs, shoe shops, a photographic establishment, and other 
places of business, Tlie United States Land Office is kept at 
this place. The weekly Traverse City Herald is edited and 
published by Morgan Bates, Esq. The population of the place 
is perhaps one thousand. 

Norris' is on Sec. 28 T. 28 K 11 W. Here is a dock and 
a saw-mill. 

At Lee's Point is a landing dock detached from the shore. 

Sutton's Bay is a small village and post-office, with a detach- 
ed dock for shipi^ing purposes. 

Pishawbey-town is an Indian settlement and Catholic mission. 

New Mission (Omenia Post-office) is a mission sustained by 
the Presbyterian Board. A seminary stands here, taught by 
the intelligent daughters of Rev. Peter Dougherty, in charge 
of the mission. 

Northport is a port of entry, and one of the oldest settle- 
ments on the bay. It was founded by Deacon Dame, who re- 
moved there from Old Mission. It has a population of six or 
eight hundred. It is furnished with one good hotel, and seve- 
ral stores. The harbor is a favorite place of refuge for ves- 
sels navigating the lakes ; and the propellers have been very 
generally in the habit of wooding there — the arrivals amounting, 
as I am informed, to 400 a year. Northport has two good 
docks — Campbell's and Rose's. At the bight of the bay, two 
miles distant, is another dock, belonging to Burbeck and 
White. 

Leland is a new settlement, at the mouth of Carp river. It 
is supplied with a saw-mill, a hotel, a boarding-nouse and 
store. Tbe place was founded by Fayette and Thies, who own 
one of the two good docks with which the port is provided. 
One thousand barrels of flour were manufactured here in 1864 

Thomas Kelterhouse has constructed a dock, and commenced 
a settlement four miles north of Glen Arbor. 

Glen Arbor was settled by John E. Fisher, six years ago. A 
good dock exists at this poi't, and Crystal creek affords water- 
power for a saw-mill and flouring-mill. Another dock has been 
built on the south side of the harbor. 



75 

On the iiortli side of Empire bluff George Ayleswortli is con- 
structing a new dock. 

Frankfort on the lake is a new settlement. The improvements 
in the harbor have been already described. The town site is 
beautifully located on a gentle southward slope, rising from an 
elevation of 10 feet above the lake to an altitude of about 200 
feet in the back part of the town. 

Benzonia is a new and enterprising settlement, founded by a 
Christian colony from Ohio. From a circular issued in 1864, 1 
learn that the place has been selected with great care, as the 
seat of a Christian community and an institution of learning. 
One fourth of the entire amount of land purchased is conse- 
crated to the endowment of the college. The church organi- 
zation is Congregational in form. The sale of ardent spirits 
and tobacco, except as medicines, is prohibited in the vicinity 
of the college. The land is selling at prices ranging from 
three to ten dollars an acre — one-fourth of the profits going to 
the college. The secretary of the colony is Rev. C. E. Bailey, 
Benzonia, Benzie county. The president of the college is Rev. 
J. B. Walker, D.D. 

The Carter settlement, in the south part of Leelanaw county, 
is a neighborhood on the road from Traverse City to Glen 
Arbor. 

The Monroe settlement is similarly located on the road from 
Traverse City to Newaygo. 

Provement is a settlement founded by Mr. A. de Belloy on 
the narrows of Carp lake. 

The population of the Grand Traverse region, according to 
the State census of 1864, was as follows : Antrim county, 382 ; 
Grand Traverse county, 2,017 ; Kalkasca, 9; Benzie, 500 ; 
Leelanaw, 2,389. Total, 5,297. Within the past year this 
total has probably increased to 7,000, or over. The population 
of the township of Peninsula, by the same census, was only 479. 
It is now thought to be 1,000. Reliable judges estimate the 
accessions to Antrim county during the past year at not less 
than one thousand souls. 



76 

XVI. HIGHWAYS. 

The propeller Alleghany, belonging to Hannah, Lay & Co., 
makes a weekly trip between Chicago and Traverse City, dur- 
ing the season of navigation, stopping at Northport. The 
lake proj^ellers stopping at Northport afford communication be- 
tween that place and other lake ports three or four times a 
week, on an average. Other means of communication, by 
propellers, are had from Pine river, Leland and Glen Arbor. 
Messrs. Hannah, Lay & Co. have placed a small propeller — 
the Sunnyside — on the bay, which, during the season of navi- 
gation, makes the round trip daily to all the more important 
settlements on the bay, and forms a ready, agreeable and most 
invaluable means of communication from point to point. Her 
trips have extended, twice a week, as far as Pine river. Be- 
sides these means of conununication, small sail boats are always 
at hand to convey the traveler to his destination, in default of 
other means of conveyance. 

Carp lake, besides small boats, is provided with two tugs, 
which make frequent trips to different points along the lake. 

The common roads are of course new, and, except in the 
oldest sections, more or less imperfect. The beach forms a 
useful thoroughfare in summer, and the ice in winter. A sys- 
tem of State roads, however, has been put in j^rocess of con- 
struction, which is destined to prove an important instrumen- 
tality in developing the countiy. These are : 

1. " The Allegan, Muskegon and Traverse Bay State Road," 
running from Allegan by Holland and Ferrysburg to Muske- 
gon, thence by Pentwater, Manistee and Benzonia to Traverse 
City. (Act approved 12th Feb., 1859). 

2. " The Newaygo and Northport State Road," running 
from Newaygo north by the Manistee crossing and the Monroe 
settlement to Traverse City ; thence along the west shore of 
the bay to NorthjDort. (Act approved 12th Feb., 1859). 

3. " The Emmet and Grand Traverse State Road," running 
from Traverse City by Elk Rapids, Antrim, Pine River and 
Little Traverse to Mackinac. (Act approved 15th March, 
1861), 



11 

These roads are all in process of construction. The last has 
been completed to Elk Rapids. The second is open to the 
Manistee river. The first is in use from Traverse City to Grand 
Haven. The latter road fm*nishes the only outlet to the region 
during the winter months. A stage, conveying passengers, 
freight and the United States mail runs regularly between 
Traverse City and Muskegon. A weekly stage runs between 
Traverse City and Elk Rapids. 

Railroad communication with the southern portion of the 
State is much needed. Land gi-ants were made, about ten years 
since, to three different companies, who undertook to open com- 
munication between the northern and southern portions of the 
State ; but the difficulties of prosecuting such enterprises 
through an unsettled region, in connexion with the more recent 
distubance of the business relations of the country by the pro- 
secution of a great civil war have prevented any of these roads 
from penetrating very far toward their northern termini. The 
roads referred to are as follws : 

1. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad, running from 
Fort Wayne, Indiana, through the western part of the State by 
Grand Rapids and Little Traverse bay, and terminating at the 
straits of Mackinac. This road runs about 21 miles east of 
Traverse City, and 14 from Elk Rapids. 

2. The Amboy, Lansing and Traverse Bay Railroad, begin- 
ning at Amboy, near the southern line of the State, and running 
by way of Lansing and Saginaw to Little Traverse bay. 

8.. The Flint and Pere Marquette Railway, beginning at 
Flint and running by way of East Saginaw to lake Michigan, 
at the mouth of Pere Marquette river — a point almost directly 
opposite Cheboygan, in Wisconsin. 

The progress made in the construction of these roads is as 
follows : ' 

Tlie Grand Raj^ids and Indiana' Road has been graded along 
some portions of its line, and it is promised that 20 miles will 
be soon completed from Grand Rapids northward. The Am- 
boy, Lansing and Traverse Bay Railroad has been bailt a dis- 
tance of 23 miles, from Lansing to Owosso. 



78 

The Flint and Pere Marquette road is completed from Flint 
to East Saginaw, 34 miles. A road midcr a distinct incorpo- 
ration has been constructed from Flint to Holly, connecting the 
Flint and Pere Marquette with the Detroit and Milwaukie 
Railway at Holly, thus forming a very important line of com- 
munication from Detroit to Saginaw. It is said to be the in- 
tention of the Flint and Pere Marquette Company to extend 
their road beyond Saginaw through Midland City, 27 miles, 
during the coming year. This will carry communication well 
toward the Grand Traverse region, which is but 125 miles dis- 
tant. 

It has been very properly suggested that the western termi- 
nus of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railway ought to be 
changed to some point within the Grand Traverse region — as 
Frankfort or Traverse City. This, besides furnishing an outlet 
to the richest portion of the lower peninsula, would be in a 
direct line toward Escanaba, at the entrance of Little Bay de 
Noquet, from which railroad communication already exists to 
Marquette on Lake Superior. The distance from Escanaba is 
about 85 miles to Frankfort, and the same distance to North- 
jDort. By this connexion the Grand Traverse region would be 
accomodated, and the southern portion of the State would be 
furnished with a pleasant and expeditious summer route to Lake 
Superior. 

The practicability and eminent utility of the communication 
indicated ought to commend it to the attention of the business 
interests of the State and country. 

XVII. CONCLUSION. 

The developement of Leelanaw county has been very materi- 
ally retarded by an extensive Indian Reservation lying in the 
midst of an active white population. This reservation was 
made a few months after the first settlement of Northport. It 
extended from the village of Northport south to township 28, 
and embraced the entire county as far west as range 13 Avest, 
leaving only the small triangle north of Northport as the sus- 
taining back country for that village. Accordingly, though 
founded imder the most promising auspices, a rej^ressive — per- 



79 

haps we should say an oi^pressive — public act has deferred for 
ten years the prosperity of this important point. The term of 
reservation expires this year, audit is now understood that the 
land will be speedily brought into market. Mr, Smith, the In- 
dian Agent, informed me that there were this year only VOO In- 
dians to receive their annual payment of $4 each. This payment, 
as I had opjiortunity to observe, is at once transferred to the 
posession of the merchants and traffickers of Northport in ex- 
change for clothing and provisions — a slight offset to the injuries 
sustained from the reservation. On the reservation at Little 
Traverse are 1,300 Indians. 

A more general and even more serious obstacle to the devel- 
opment of the region is the withdrawal from market of the odd 
sections reserved for the construction of the Grand Rapids and 
Indiana Railroad. I found the complaints on this subject 
universal and emphatic. The reservations for this road cover 
more than one half of Grand Traverse county, and the entire 
region on the east side of the bay. It is but justice to the popu- 
lation already engaged in the development of the country, that 
the injuries sustained from this source should be discontinued. 
It may be that the only method of constructing railroads through 
a new country is by means of land grants ; but it is obvious 
that in this case, the grants have not secured the end proposed, 
while they have proved of incalculable injury to the region in 
which they are located. Any continuance of these grants, 
and any new grants proposed to be made, should be placed 
under more rigorous stipulations than heretofore, with a view 
to securing to the regions incommoded by them a more prompt 
release from the injuries inflicted. The congressional grant to 
the Grand Rapids and Indiana and other land grant railroads 
in the State, expires by limitation on the 3rd. of June, 1866.* 

The Homestead Act in its practical workings has also re- 
tired from occupation many thousands of acres of valuable laud. 
Large numbers of persons, having entered their "homesteads," 



* For the legislation respecting the Grand Rapids aud Indiana Rail- 
road see Acts of Congress approved od .June, 1856, and 7th June, 1864 ; 
and State laws approved severally 14th Feb., 1857, 3d Feb., 1858, 14th 
Feb., 1859, 15th Feb., 1859, 12th Feb., 1861, 11th March, 1861, 15th March, 
1861, 15th Jan., 1862, 2d Feb., 1865, 10th March, 1865. 



80 

have failed to comply with the law requu-ing actual residence ; 
aiid they consequently remain unimproved and retired from the 
market, or the prescribed means must he resorted to for bring- 
ing them again into market. These means, with a view to the 
ample protection of the first claimant, have been made cii'cui- 
tous, slow and tedious. In consequence, men undertake, only 
in urgent cases, to secure titles to abandoned homesteads ; and 
such lands are liable to remain a long time without improvement. 

At the present time, most of the land lying near navigable 
Avater has been taken up. Receding from the shore, private 
claims become less and less frequent, and disappear, on the east 
side of Grand Traverse bay, at the distance of seven or eight 
miles back. InLeelanaw county we find them distributed from 
shore to shore, with many unoccupied lands interspersed. 

The lands belonging to the general government are the even 
sections within the limits of the railroad grants, except so far 
as taken up by settlers. After the 3d of Jime next, the odd 
sections revert to the government, except in case of new legis- 
lation perpetuating the grants. 

The State swamp lands within the limits of this region are 
scarcely Avorthy of mention. Those formerly held as such must 
be nearly exhausted in the construction of the State roads. 

The reservations for the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad 
are the odd sections where not previously occiipied or reserved, 
to the distance of " six sections in width on each side" of the 
road, and, where previously occupied or reserved, the odd sec- 
tions beyond these limits, to any distance Avithin 15 miles. The 
maps of the company represent their land grant as extending 
about 15 miles, throughout the entire region. This extension 
uses up the unsold odd sections nearly as far Avest as Traverse 
City and throughout Kalkasca and Antrim counties. 

There is no Indian reservation Avithiu the region under con- 
sideration, except the one already referred to ; and its limits 
have been hidicated. Indians are seldom seen in any other 
])ortion of the region. 

Notwithstanding the serious draAvbacks to the development 
of this region, growing out of its remote situation, the erroneous 
ideas of i.ts climate and soil, and the injustice Avhich it has siif- 



81 

fered from public legislation, it has, during the past year or two, 
undergone a more rapid improvement than any other portion 
of the State. There have been entered at the Register's office 
in Traverse City, since January 1st, 1863, 1,422 homesteads of 
160 acres each, making a total of 227,520 acres. In the same 
time there have been 467 cash purchases, estimated at 37,360 
acres. The lands located with Military Land Wsrrants and 
Agricultural College Scrip are at least double the cash pur- 
chases, or about 74,720 acres, making a gi-and total of 339,600 
acres. This land district extends from the south line of Man- 
istee county to the straits of Mackinac, and from K. 3 W. to 
lake Michigan. Most of the settlement, however, is around 
Grand Traverse bay, from R. 8 W. to R. 15 W., aiid from T. 21 
N. to T. 32 N. These statements were given me by the Re- 
gister late in October. The entries at the office during No- 
vember were 12,450 acres; of which 1,091 acres were pur- 
chased for cash, and 1,240 were located with warrants. 

Beyond all controversy, the Grand Traverse region otters 
stronger attractions to capital and settlement than any other 
portion of the State or of the entire northwest. Even the 
mighty forest which has to be felled before the farmer can avail 
himself of the soil, is probably less of a detriment than an ad- 
vantage. Besides insuring him an inexhaustible supply ot fuel, 
for the labor of cutting ; besides furnishing him with a mer- 
chantable commodity in the form of cord-wood, upon which he 
can realize for each day's work ; besides protecting him and 
his stock and crops from the severity of the wintry blast, the 
forest itself is a source of food to horses and cattle, both in 
sunmier and winter. It is no uncommon occurrence, as I saw 
in a multitude of cases, for a settler to make his appearance 
late in the autumn, with little means but his muscle, an axe, a 
yoke of oxen and a cow. He selects a spot for his dwelling, 
and while he fells the trees to supply the logs for his cabin, his 
cow and oxen support themselves by browsing, and the milk 
furnished by the cow goes far toward the supjiort of his 
family. Having erected his cabin, he spends his winter in 
chopping ; and, in the mean time, his stock fatten themselves by 
browsing on the fallen timber, so that they actually enter the 



82 

spring in better flesh than they did the autumn. I had accounts 
of this kind from various sources. Mr. Fisher, of Glen Arbor, 
told me of a pony that escaped from his owner, and subsisted 
in the forest seven years before he was caught. 

A more thorough system of farming is needed, which will be 
secured when more capital can be applied to the business. A 
more varied industry is needed ; and this also will be intro- 
duced as wealth increases and the advantages of the region 
become known. 

Religious and educational accommodations have kept pace 
with the development of the region. Traverse City, Elk Rap- 
ids, Northport and Benzonia have preaching every Sabbath — 
many of the settlements fuither back, once in two or four weeks. 
At Traverse City and Northport the Congregationalists and 
Methodists both have organizations. There are also church 
organizations at Monroe settlement, at Glen Arbor, at White- 
water, at Old Mission, at New Mission and some other points. 
Schools are maintained within reach of every neighborhood. 
There are at least six school houses in the township of 
Traverse. At Benzonia is Grand Traverse college and pre- 
paratory school. 

Access to the Grand Traverse region is had by j^ropellers 
from any of the lake ports. The numerous propellers all stop 
somewhere within the limits of the region ; and, by inquiry, it 
can be ascertained at what point any particular propeller is in 
the habit of stopping. Those wishing to reach the bay had 
better not take passage for Glen Arbor or Carp river [Leland,] 
and those wishing to reach the latter places had better not 
take passage to the bay. Passengers are landed at Northport 
two or three times a week; and from there they can proceed 
on the Sunnyside to any other point on the bay. The Alle- 
ghany runs once a week directly from Chicago to Northport 
and Traverse City. 

Visitors are caiitioned against allowing steamboat captains 
to persuade them to be landed on the Manitou islands — a fre- 
quent wooding place — since great diflSculty is often experi- 
enced in getting from there to the main land. 

Eruatum. — Page 3'-J, foot note, lor " Lenawee " read " Leelanaw," 



APPENDIX 



TO A REPORT ON THE GRAND TRAVERSE REGION. 



By a. WINCHELL. 



Paleontological investigations made since tlie printing of 
the body of this Report, enable me to present a more satisfac- 
tory account of the Hamilton group of Little Traverse bay 
than has hitherto been done. This region possesses consid- 
erable geological interest, in consequence of being removed at 
least 250 miles in a straight line from the nearest Hamilton 
rocks, (at Widder, C W.,) which have heretofore received the 
attention of paleontologists. 

To co-ordinate the various outcrops along the shore ' of the 
bay and lake, as far as the black shale beds, is a problem of no 
little difficulty, since the shore-line runs nearly in the strike of 
the strata, and the latter present numerous irregular undula- 
tions, and undergo, moreover, considerable lithological changes 
in short distances. By fixing upon certain obvious paleonto- 
logical horizons, however, and parallelizing strata which are 
obviously synchronous, all the various localities and strata fall 
by degrees into their proper places. 
7 



84 

In default of a diagram, I have arranged the foUowhig table 
to exhibit to the eye the stratigraphical relations of the several 
localities. The term " Tropidoleptus Beds " is changed to 
"Bryozoa Beds,'' since the supposed Tropidoleptus proves 
to be a Strophodonta. A " Pleurotomaria Bed," well marked, 
is also recognized at the bottom of the series. The letters cor- 
respond with those in the sections given in the body of the 
Report- The full-tace capitals indicate the strata most readily 
identifiable. 

STRATIGKAPHICAL KELATIONS OF THE LOCALITIES. 





855 


856 


857 


858 


861 


863 


863 


865 


880 


881 


884 


Chert Beds 






















E 
D 

c 
























B 
A 


Buff Magnesian Beds. . . . . . 
















E 

C 






























Acervularia Beda. 






E 
D 
G 


B 

A 


D 
C 

B 

A 


c 
B 

A 


B 

A 


B 

A 


D 

c 


A 


O 










Bryozoa Beds 






B 

A 












B 

A 
























Stromatopora Beds 




D 

c 










































Pleurotomaria Bed. 


B 

c 

B 
A 


B 
A 







































The table which follows embraces a list of all the fossils 
thus far collected, including the collections of my recent sur- 
vey and those heretofore made by State authority. The five 
succeeding columns of the table show the vertical distribution 
of the species through the beds. 



85 



DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES. 



CATALOGUE. 


1 

1 

1 


1 

t 


1 

i 




1 

s 
•2 

1 


Fistulipora labiosa Win 


* 

* 
* 


* 
* 

* 
* 

* 
* 
* 

» 

* 


* 
* 
* 
* 

* 
* 

* 

9 

* 

* 

* 
* 

* 

* 
* 

* 
* 


* 
* 
* 
* 
* 

« 

« 

* 

* 
* 

* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

* 
* 

* 
* 
* 
* 

* 

« 
« 
* 

* 
* 
* 
* 




Saffordi Wiri 




Callopora punctillata Win 




Favosites Alpenensis Win 




" nitella Wi7i 




" dumosa Win 




Lunatipora Michiganensis Win 

Alveolites strigillata Win 




" megastoma Win 




" n. sp ? 




Chaetetes Hamiltonensis Win 

" microscopica Win 




Syringopora fenestrata Win 




" alectiformis Win 

" crassata Win 




Zaphrentis Traversenis Win 

" cystica Win 




Cyathophyllum simplex ? Hall 

" panicum Win 

" ? partitum Win. . . . 

sp? 

Heliophyllum Halli E. & H. 

" tenuiseptatnm Bill... 

Acervularia Davidson! E. & U 

Phillipsastraea Verneuili E. & H... . 
Cystiphyllum Americanum E. db H. 

Stromatopora monticulifera Win 

" pustulifera Win 

'' nux Win 


« 


" caespitosa Win 

Aulopora serpuloides Win 




" aperta Win 




" conferta Win 




" cyclopora Win 




Tentaculites subtilis Win 




Fenestella eximia Win 




" filitexta Win 




Stictopora sulcata Win 




Crania radicans Win 




" crenistria Hnll 




" ( Pseudocrania) anomala Win 
Chonetes Emnietensis Win 




Strophodonta inaequistriata Con 

" subdemissa Hall 

" orratica Win. (3 Vars.) 
" imitata Win 




" &va^\& {Hall) BiU 

" cincta Win 





80 



msTRiButiON OF THE SPECIES. — Continued. 



CATALOGUE. 



f^ 



^ 



K) 



cq 



fiq 



Strophodonta nacrea HaU 

Cyrtia Hamiltonensis Hall 

Spirifera Clintoni Hall 

" subattenata HnU 

" bidorsalis Win 

" mucrouata Con. , 

" pennata (Owen) HaU. . . . 

" consors Win 

*' filitexta Wi7i 

Martinia athyroides Win 

Spirigera concentrica Bronn 

" eborea Win 

Merista lens Win 

Trematospira ? liniuscula Win. . . . 

Atrypa reticularis Dal 

Pentamerus occidentalis HaU 

" intralineatus Win. . . . 

Leiorhynclius sesquiplicatus Win. 

Terebratula Linklaeni HaU 

" Traversensis Win .... 

Pterinea decussata HaU sp 

Aviculopecten intercostalis Win. . 
Sanguinolites (Grammy sia ?) sulcifer 

Win 

Lucina ? Hamiltonensis Win 

Conocardium Emmetense Win. . . . 

" bifarium Win 

Edmondia ? ledoides Win 

" mactroides Win 

Nuculites oblonga ? HaU 

Pleurotomaria mucro Win 

" cavumbilicata Win. 

" Emmetensis Win. . 

" parvispira Win.... 

Orthoceras exile ? HaU 

"" pustulosum Win 

" sp? 

Gomplioceras omicron Win 

Spirorbis omphalodes Ooldf 

" animon Win 

" obesa Win. , 

Phacops raha Oreen. 

Dalmania Boothi HaU 

Fish Bones ." 

Cycliferous Ganoid Scale 



, The grouji contains also an undetermined Taeniopteris and 
a Ziichenalia. 



SI 



The follo\\^ing digest of the foregoing table sets forth the 
paleontological grounds of the distinction into different beds. 













^ 
^ 




1 

1 


-1 




1 


In more than 


Magnesian Beds 


8 


3 


3 


1 


1 


Acervularia Beds 


46 
41 


24 
21 


14 
12 


2 
1 


6 


Bryozoa Beds 


7 


Stromatopora Beds 


21 


9 


5 


1 


6 


Pleurotomaria Bed 


20' 


8 


6 


1 


5 







The Acervularia and Bryozoa Beds, -while each holds more 
than 50 per cent, of species not ranging beyond it, contain 19 
species, or 28 per cent, of the whole, iii common. Lithologic- 
ally they may be described as a series of dark, bituminous 
limestones and shales ; and in the general facies ot the forma- 
tion, they present themselves structurally as one mass. Below 
this mass is another of strikingly different aspect, composed of 
pale buff, massive limestones, with little shaly or bituminous 
matter, in which 1 have distinguished the Stromatopora and 
Pleurotomaria Beds ; which, while each holds about 38 per 
cent, of peculiar sjjecies, contain at the same time 9 species, or 
about 20 per cent, of the whole, in common. Above the Acer- 
vularia Beds we find another physical change in the Magne- 
sian Beds. These are dark-buff, coarse, rough, vesicular, with 
few fossils. Of these, 3 or 38 per cent, are peculiar ; 2 are 
species which have too wide a vertical range for use in strati- 
graphical determinations, and 2 are singularly identified with 
species in the bottom of the formation. The Chert Beds pre- 
sent another set of physical characters ; though I suspect the 
amount of Chert is vei-y variable. 

I Avould suggest then, as the most obvious and tenable 
method of grouping the strata, the following : 



88 



IV. Chert Beds. 

III. Buff, vesicular Magnesian Limemstones. 

II. Bituminous Shale, and Limestones. \ Acervularia Beds. 

( Bryozoa Beds. 

I. Pale-buff, massive Limestones. \ Stromatopora Beds. 

PJeui-otomaria Beds. 



This grouping of the strata will hold good, I think, through- 
out the State, and perhaps in other regions. Judging from 
the fossils, the Acervularia Beds outcrop at Iowa City, and 
the Bryozoa Beds at New Buffalo, in Iowa. On the eastern 
side of the peninsula of Michigan, the rocks v/'iih Stromato- 
pora are seen to be succeeded downwards by the recognized 
Corniferous limestone. Indeed, the two are here, as in lake 
Erie, but one mass, physically. 

DIAGNOSES OF NEW SPECIES. 

FisTULiPORA LABiosA. — Inci'usting in thin layers ; the deli- 
cate cell-mouths surrounded by distinctly elevated and tumid 
lips ; intercellular surface smooth ; intercellular tissue consist- 
ing of minute polyhedral vesicles — a radiating series often 
surrounding the minutely septate cells. Intercellular dis- 
tances .33 mm. (.013)*; diameter of cell-mouths .381 mm. 
(.015); distance of septa .102 mm. (.004). 

FiSTULipoRA Saffordi. — lucrustiug in thin layers ; cell- 
mouths scarcely elevated, without thick lips ; intercellular sur- 
face generally exposing the minutely vesicular tissue ; vesic- 
ules often radially disposed around the cells. Intercellular 
distances .254 mm. (.01) ; diameter of cell-mouths from .355 
mm. (.014) to .508 mm. (.020). 

Callopora punctillata. — Delicate incrustations; cells 
approximate, but cylindrical or compressed-cylindrical — occa- 
sionally crowded and sub-prismatic ; intercellular structure 
minutely vesicular, or, in places, wanting. Intercellular dis- 
tances .127 mm. (.005) or less; diameter of cell-mouths .152 
mm. (.006). 

Favosites Alpenensis. — Related to Calamopora poly- 
morpha Goldf. Always massive; mural pores arranged in 
one (sometimes two) irregularly or scarcely line&l series on 
each side — their margins indented instead of raised. Walls 
distinctly double, quite smooth ; septa extremely thin. Cells 
smaller and pores more numerous than in F. Hillhigsi Romin- 
ger. Distance of pores 2.286 mm. (.09); of septa 1.270 mm. 
(•05)- 

* Measurements in millimetres. Numbers in parenthesis are equiva- 
lents in inches. 



89 

Favosites nitella. — Related to C. sponffites, var. ramosa 
Goldf. In small masses varying from globoid to elongate or 
scarcely branching. Cells sub-circular, sub-equal, with a few 
minute interstitial ones. Septa distinct, irregular, complete or 
incomplete ; pores scattered, indented around the orifices. 
Distance of pores .76 mm. (.03) ; diameter of largest cells .76 
mm. Occurs also at Iowa City. 

Favosites dumosa. — Resembles F. Alpenensis in size and 
form of cells and cell-mouths, and in size and arrangement of 
pores, but dift'ers in much more crowded and thicker septa, 
and in growing in stout, thickly-clustered branches. Distance 
of septa .51 mm. (.02). 

LuxATipoEA (New Genus). — Massive, or with branches 
consolidated ; cells elongate, radiately ascending and curving 
outwards from an imaginary flexuons axis, compressed, their 
transverse section bounded by two or three segments of cir- 
cles, often sub-crescentic ; walls apparently double, but not 
separable (?) ; destitute of communicating pores as far as 
known ; interior with transverse diaphragms. Cell-mouths 
not seen. 

Diifers from Favosites and Chcetetes in the form of the cells, 
and from the former in the probable absence of jwres ; from 
Alveolites and Cladopora in the great lengthjof the cell-tubes, 
and from the latter in the presence of distinct diaphragms, and 
a more massive form. 

LuNATiPOEA MiCHiGAXEBTSis- — Cclls Small, much flattened ; 
diaphragms rather remote, complete or incomplete, often ob- 
lique. Longer diameter of -larger cells 1.55 ram. (.06) to 2.03 
mm. (.08) ; shorter diameter .51 mm. (.02). 

Alveolites strigillata. — Somewhat ramose ; cell-mouths 
crowded ; transverse section at aperture double-convex ; 
outer lip slightly elevated in the middle — often with a narrow 
rim either inflected or reflected ; inner side of aperture marked 
by 10-15 delicate striie, which diverge and extend oyer the 
outer lip of the contiguous cells above. Transverse diameter 
of cell-mouths 1.27 mm. (.05) ; distances apart longitudinally 
1.02 mm. (.04). 

Alveolites megastoma, — Thin incrustations, with large, 
crowded, obliqe cell-mouths which have the form of a segment 
of a circle in transverse section ; outer lip, when perfect, lying 
in a plane normal to the general surface, its exterior marked 
by minute distinct transverse lines of growth ; radial striae 
very obscure. Transverse diameter of cell-mouths .28 mm. 
(.11); distances apart longitudinally, the same. 

Ch^tetes Hamiltoxexsis. — Inerusting, or in solid tuber- 
cular masses or stems, with crowded, prismatic tubes .25 mm. 
(.01) in diameter, diverging in all directions at right angles 
with the main axis; cell-walls simple ; septa complete .25 mm. 



90 

(.01) to .51 mm. (.02) apart. A smiilar Canadian species has 
larger tubes and spinuliferous cell-mouths. 

Ch.etetes microscopica. Generally small, cylindrical, 

solid branches, formed of radiately ascending and curving, 
crowded, polygonal non-septate tubes. Diameter of cell- 
mouths .28 mm. (.011). 

SYRiNGoroRA FEisrESTEATA. — Habit and characters similar 
to the following, but smaller. The young somewhat resemble 
Aulopora tubmformis Hall (not Goldf.) Diameter of tubes 
2.29 mm. (.U). Occurs also in the Hamilton of C. W. 

Syri:n^gopoea alectiformis. — Tubes large, loosely and 
confusedly aggregated, prostrate or declined, adhering to other 
corals, in the young state auloporiform ; exterior smooth or 
faintly Avrinkled ; interior feebly striate. Diameter of tubes 
4.0G mm. (.16) to 5.84 mm. (.23). 

Syringopora crassata. — Tubes of medium or moderate 
size, very geniculate and confused, externally much wrinkled 
transversely ; irregularly constricted, often compressed ; tube- 
walls unusually thick — the central cavity often neai-ly oblite- 
rated. Diameter of tubes 1.52 mm. (.06) to 2.03 mm. (.08). _ 

Zaphrextis Traversensis. — Fossette rudimentary. Dif- 
fers from Cyathophylluni simplex Hall in its more abundant 
epitheca, less contorted lamella?, its finely vesicular outer zone, 
and its more elongated and erect form. Often attached ob- 
liquely. 

Zaphrentis cystica. — Outer zone of finely vesicular tissue 
reaching nearly halfway to the center; central septa very thin 
and irregular ; lamellae about 60, of which half terminate with 
the vesicular zone. 

Cyatiiophyllum panicum. — Having the form and size (or 
somewhat smaller) of detached stems of Diphi/phyllum Ar- 
chiaci Billings, but without the double Avail. Resembles C 
ccespitosum (Goldf.) E. & H., but is more delicate and more 
straggling. 

Cyathopiiyllum ? PARTiTUM. — Tubcs small, branching ; 
walls thick, without radial lamellae or visible sti'ife ; internal cav- 
ity divided by irregularly disposed vertical partitions, which, in 
transverse sections, describe the chord (instead of radius) of a 
circle ; space inclosed between the lamellae and walls trans- 
versely and minutely septate. The same structure extends 
into the branches. Epitheca slightly Avrinkled. Diameter of 
tubes 7.62 mm. (.3). Scarcely conforms to any established 
genus. 

Stromatopora pustulifera. — In very large, spheroidal, 
ovoid or elongate masses, composed of arching, transverse 
leyers, formed of lamina? of coralline substance separated by a 
network of minute passages which, at intervals, coalesce and 
turn upwards through the layer, radiating and i-ainitying again 
on its upper side. The places where the layers are thus trav- 



91 

ersed are raised on tbe upper side into little eminences. The 
distinction of layers is produced by variations in the density 
of the coralline substance. Masses of coral several feet in 
diameter; distance of pustules 4.06 mm. (.16) ; mean thickness 
of laminae .20 mm. (.008). Occurs also at Iowa City. 

Stkomatopoea monticulifeka. — In very large spheroidal 
masses constituted like those' of S. pustuUfera, but diftering 
therefrom in the much larger and more remote eminences on 
the upper surfaces of the concentric beds, and in the larger 
and more vlistinctly radiate character of the passages Avhich 
diverge from the apices of the monticules. These passages, 
on thejexposed surface, are little flexuous, somewhat branch- 
ing channels which diminish in size and disappear within 5 
mm. (.2). Distance of monticules .76 mm. (.3) to 10.2 mm. 
(.4). Attains a diameter of at least 3.5 metres (12 ft.) 

Stromatopora :n^ux. — In small, spheroidal, sometimes con- 
tiguous and coalesced masses, formed, unlike the foregoing 
species, by accretions on all sides. External surfaces of layers 
not pustulose. Masses occur from 25 mm. to 125 mm. in 
greater diameter. A species apparently the same occurs on 
Kelly's Island, lake Erie. 

Stromatopora c^spitosa. — In general form resembling a 
large, csespitosely branching, cyathophylloid coral ; stems ex- 
ternally in contact or more than 25 mm. distant. A longitudi- 
nal section shows the characteristic layers arching across the 
stem and resembling S. pustuUfera in miniature ; a transverse 
section exhibits radiating lamellae as in Cyathophyllidce, but 
there is no outer wall, and the interior is completely filled with 
concentric circles of coralline substance, except a small perfor- 
ation in the center. Mural system entirely wanting, as in other 
Stromatoporte ; exterior of stem longitxidinally triate. Diame- 
ter of stems 4.5 mm. (.18) to 7.6 mm. (.30). Occurs in masses 
two or three feet in diameter. 

This remarkable species exhibits a transition from Stromato- 
pora to Cyatliophyllum, and might well form the type of a 
new genus. 

AuLOPORA SERPULOiDES. — Tubcs miuutc, long, cylindrical, 
sinuous ; di-or trichotomously stoloniferous, often superim- 
posed ; cell-mouths circular or compressed, generally opening 
upwards, not salient. Diameter of tubes .25 mm. (.01) ; length 
often 1.78 mm. (.07). 

ArLOPORA APERTA. — Tubcs short, often extended in double 
or triple linear series ; cell-mouths not elevated, generally not 
limited on the lower or posterior side, leaving the whole 
length of the tube open. Diameter of tubes 1.27 mm. (.05). 

AuLOPORA CONFERTA. — Tubcs Small, compressed, crowded, 
forming an incrustation ; cell-mouths slightly elevated, circular, 
erect, sub-equally distributed, presenting a reniote resemblance 
to a FistuUpora. Mean distances of cell-mouths 1.78 mm. 



(.07); diameter of cell-mouths .64 mm. (.015.) Resembles A. 
conglomerata Goldf., but more consolidated. 

AuLOPORA CYCLOPORA. — Tubes rather long, arranged in 
single linear series which branch without anastomosing; cell- 
mouths oblique, not elevated. Length of tubes 2.29 mm. (.09) 
to 3.56 mm. (.14) ; diameter of cell-mouths 1 mm. (.04). 

Tentaculites subtilis. — Minute, extremely slender, very 
gradually tapering; rings regular, rounded. In a terminal 
fragment 3.81 mm. (.15) long, the whole number of rings is 40; 
mean distance apart on apical third .064 mm. (.0025). 'Longest 
specimen 12.7 mm. 

Fenestella eximia. — Rays angulated along the middle, 
bearing two rows of pores Avith salient margins, opening ob- 
liquely ; 23 pores in the distance of ten fenestrules. Length 
of fenestrules ,51 mm. (.02); breadth .37 mm. (.015.) This 
species and one similar to the preceding occur at New Buffalo, 
Iowa. 

Fenestella filitexta. — Rays extremely delicate, ob- 
tusely carinated ; fenestrules comparatively large and cells 
remote. Non-celluliferous side minutely striate. Length of 
fenestrules 2.03 mm. (.08) ; breadth ,76 mm. (.03) ; diameter 
of ray -25 mm, (,01) ; distance of cells ,18 mm. (.007) ; longer 
diameter of cells ,08 mm. (.003), 

Stictopora sulcata, — Small, compressed, solid, ancipital, 
dichotomous stems, celluliferous on both sides ; cells oval, Avith 
salient lips, arranged in 6-9 longitudinal series separated by 
prominent rigid strife (in one variety little developed). Greater 
diameter of stem 2.29 mm. (.09) ; less diameter ,89 mm, (,035) ; 
distance between cells .2 mm, (,009) ; greater diameter of cells 
.15 mm. (.006) ; less diameter .1 mm. (.004.) Seven cells in 
2.5 mm. (1). 

Crania radicans. — Attached valve very irregular, with 
distinct cardinal truncation, always presenting the appearance 
of area, triangular fissure and cardinal processes ; central por- 
tion of valve often absorbed or Avanting, leaving only the up- 
turned border. Exterior furnished Avith radiciform, flexuous 
often bifurcate, hoUoAV spines or appendages, sometimes as 
long as the shell. Diameter about 3.8 mm. (.15). 

Crania (Pseudocrania) anomala. — Shell free or attached, 
irregular, thick ; hinge line nearly equal to greatest width. 
Ventral valve Avith three or four pairs of muscular impressions, 
a broad, striated area, arched false deltidium nearly filling the 
very broa 1 triangular fissure and fusing AA'ith cardinal processes 
to form a spoon-shaped orthidoid appendage. Exterior Avith 
many fine radial striae. Transverse diameter 28 mm. (1.1) ; 
length 20 mm. (.8). 

Chonetes Emmetensis. — Small, semicircular; hinge-line 
equal to greatest Avidth, or slightly greater or less, armed Avith 
two short spines near each extremity, which turn out at right 



93 

angles to axis of shell, and a minute tubercle near the beak. 
Dorsal valve very concave. Area wide, formed equally from 
both valves, turned over into the plane of the shell, slightly 
hollowed. Triangular foramen occupied by dental process. 
Ribs 10 or 11 around the margin, stout, convex, simple or with 
two or three bifurcated ones. Concentric stria? sometimes con- 
spicuous. 

Resembles C. gibbosa Hall and C. Koninckana N, & P. in 
the direction of its spines, but differs from these and related 
species in the small number of its ribs. 

Strophodonta erratica. — Resembles S. arcuata Hall in 
hinge structure, but central cardinal process of ventral valve 
is narrower, and dental lamellse denticulated. Divaricator 
scars drawn to a point on median line ; hinge-line abruptly 
acuminate. Ribs few and large on the umbo, increasing by 
implantation, and diminishing in size toward the margin. In 
variety solidicosta, about 9 large nearly undivided ribs ; in 
variety fissicosta., ribs fimbriated till they number 50 to 80 
around the margin. The last variety, except in the ears, re- 
sembles S. subdemissa Hall. Comp. also with S. pUcata Hall, 
(XIII Reg. Rep., p. 90) and S? costata Owen, (Surv. Wis. 
Minn. & lo., Tab. Ill, Fig. 11). 

Strophodoxta imitata. — Adductor bosses prominent, bi- 
crescentic, with a short, stout, median ridge issuing from 
between them forwards. Otherwise resembles S. incequistri- 
ata, except that the striae are nearly equal, and the shell is 
relatively shorter and only 12.7 mm. (.5) to 17.8 mm. (.7) broad. 

Strophodoxta cincta. — Size and general appearance of 
S. incequistriata. Hinge-line less than greatest width . hinge- 
angles rounded. Inside of ventral valve minutely pustulose in 
all parts, and marked by a prominent ridge all around near the 
border. Divaricator scars diverging, reaching two-thirds the 
distance to the anterior border ; retractor scars nearly as long. 

Spirifera liiDORSALis. — Rcsemblcs S. biplicata and bhne- 
sialis, but is not produced at hinge extremities ; has a high 
incurved ventral beak, and delicate, regular imbricating lam- 
ellae. Length 8.88 mm. (.35); breadth 12.7 mm. (.5). Very 
commonl}'^ parasitic on corals. 

Spirifera consors. — Semicircular, with salient hinge ex- 
tremities, ventricose to the margin. Dorsal valve with little 
elevated but strongly isolated fold, having a median furrow 
throughout its whole length ; ventral, most ventricose, es- 
pecially near the incurved beak ; having a broad, sharply- 
rounded, well-defined sinus reaching to the beak and destitute 
of a median ridge. Dorsal area narrow ; ventral elevated, 
arched and perforated by a triangular opening balf as broad 
as high. Surface with about seven rounded plications each 
side of the middle, and crossed by feeble lines of growth. 



94 

Length 11.68 ram- (.46); breadth 21. G mm. (.85); depth of 
both valves 11.22 mm. (44). 

Less iiiucronate, more ventricose, and with fewer phcations 
than /S. subattenuata varicosa and himesialis. Much more 
ventricose than S. bidorsalis. Apparently identical with an 
undescribed species from Columbus, Ohio. 

Spirifeka filicosta. — Form and two-thirds the size of S. 
Parryana Hall. Fold and sinus much less pronounced and, 
with the fewer plieation.s, marked by numerous radial stria>. 
Ventral beak much incurved ; area not Avell defined. 

Maktixia atiiyroides. — Triangularly terebratuliform, with- 
out fold or sinus. Ventral valve nearly twice as deep as the 
other, with a projecting, someAvhat incurved beak. No true 
area, but a l>road, triangular fissure extends to the apex of the 
beak. Shell- structure thin -lamellar — neither punctate nor 
fibrous. Incremental surface markings numerous, fine, regular. 
Length 14.22 nmi. (.56); breadth 18.'21 ram. (.52). Resembles 
CharioneUa Circe Billings, from Corniferous limestone, but 
the beak is not perforate. 

Spirigera eborea. — General appearance of small speci- 
mens of S. concentrica, but more ventricose, Avith a fuller and 
more produced ventral beak. Shell substance extremely solid 
and ivory -like, but not punctate ; sm-face polished, with nume- 
rous extremely delicate concentric stria?. Length 9.4 mra. 
(.37); breadth 9.14 mra. (.36); depth of ventral valve 4.06 
mm. (.16). 

Merista leks. — Quadrate-rotund, lenticular, both valves 
equally convex, the ventral having the beak closely incurved 
over its opposite. Ventral sinus only represented by a slight 
anterior projection ; dorsal fofd only a broad angulation of the 
valve, except antei-iorly. Surface of casts marked by six nar- 
row, remote, radiating ridges around the middle of each valve, 
bifurcated nearer the margin, (vascular markings ?) Occlusor 
scars ligulate, deep. Shell thick, fibrous. Spires present. 
Length and breadth 19.81 mm. (.78). 

Trematospira ? LTNiuscDLA. — Form and size of T. perfo- 
rata Hall. Cast with numerous faint radiating lines. Ven- 
tral beak incurved, apparently imperforate. Dei.tal lamellse 
two-fifths the length of the valve. Occlusor scars OAal, deep. 
Dorsal A'ulve with a transverse narrow area; false area of ven- 
tral valve with a triangular fissure extending to the beak. 
Fold and sinus reaching the beak, but very feeble. 

Pentaaierus ixtralineatus. — Size of P. occidentaUs Hall, 
but broader and more regularly (though faintly) costate on the 
anterior two-thirds, with shallow ventral sinus reaching to 
beak. Shell-fibres arranged concentrically. Exterior with 
numerous Avavy, sub-lamellose, concentric grooves, and fine 
intervening strife ; interior Avith numerous fine, radiating, 
grooved stria?. 



96 

Leiorhynchus sesquiplicatus. — Shell haA'ing the form of 
Spirigera concentncay with a more abrupt sinus and fold 
which, with the faint plications, extend only half way to the 
beak. About four plications on the fold, and as many on eack 
side. Cbnceutric lines fine and indistinct. Length 8.38 mm. 
(.33); breadth 9.65 mm. (.38). 

Terebratula Traversensis. — In form i-esembling T, 
Linkkeni Hall, but broader, with more of a false area on ven- 
tral valve, and no trace of sinus. Surface, also, sub-lamel- 
iosely striate concentrically, and pores larger, more oval and 
more remote — their two diameters and their distances being 
as 4 : 7 : 6, while in T. LinMceni the same dimensions are as 
3: 4: 4. Smaller diameter of pores .0321 mm. (.00126); 
greater .0559 mm. (.00220) ; the intervening distance from 
end to nearest end of pore .048 mm. (.00189.) In T. Link- 
Icmii these dimensions are .0213 mm. (.00084), .0321 mm. 
(.00126) and ,0359 mm. (.00141). 

AvicuLOPECTEN iKTERCOSTALis. — Nearly circiilar in out- 
line, compressed; anterior ear (of left valve) large, depressed- 
convex, strongly isolated ; posterior ear small ; surface (of 
cast) with about 36 distinct, rigid, neatly defined ribs alter- 
nated with the same number of feebler rays terminating in the 
middle of the shell ; posterior ear and slope feebly costate ; 
anterior ear strongly so ; whole surfoce with fine concentric 
strife, stronger on the anterior ear. Length and height 21.6 
mm. (.85). 

Sangiixolites (GRAirMYSiA ?) suLciFER. — Small, gibbous, 
oblong; beak sub-terminal, incurved, overhanging a deep 
lunule ; pallial border straight or broadly sinuate ; umbonal 
ridge sub-angulated ; surface with 16-20 deep sulci separated 
by thin lameUiform, non-imbricated leaves. Length of medium 
specimen 7.62 mm. (.3) ; height 5.08 mm. (.2) ; thickness of 
both valves 3.56 mm. (.14). 

. LuciKA? Hamiltonensis.-— Shell small, circular, appressed; 
beaks central, small, scarcely exceeding tlie hinge-line, turned 
forward. Exterior with 8-10 deep, broad concentric furrows 
on the body of the shell, and numerous concentric stride. 
Length 15.24 mm. (.6); height 13;9V mm. (.55). Smaller, less 
gibbous and more deeply and broadly sulcated than L? prO' 
avia. ^ 

Conooardium Emmetejstse. — Abruptly truncate anteriorly, 
conical posteriorly, constricted behind the beaks, gibbous, or- 
namented with about a dozen strong ribs, which are cancel- 
lated l)y finer and more numerous concentric strite — the three 
ribs on the angle of t..e truncation stronger than the others. 
Differs from C. eJorace^^m .Hall in the much greater relative 
relative strength of the ribs. . 

CoNOCARDRM BiFARiuM. — Small; body of shell rising into 
a ventricose ridge running nearly at right angles with hinge, 



96 

with a deep constriction on each side — deepest on rostral side; 
whole surface costate with rounded ribs which are largest on 
the rostrate slope of urabonal swell ; inside of shell marked by 
square ribs corres^)onding to the intervals between the exter- 
nal ones. Exterior also with fine concentric stria?, 

Edmondia ? LEDOiDES. — Elongatc-ovate, ventricose, slightly 
narrowed and appressed posteriorly ; ventral margin distinctly 
but not strongly curved, hinge margin slightly so ; beak sub- 
terminal, little projecting. Casts with a ftiint fold running 
from beneath the beak to the postero-ventral region. Cardinal 
processes (teeth ?) consisting of one stout and triangular under 
beak of left valve, and two smaller ones in right valve. Each 
valve has also a pair of slender divergent lamellar teeth (per- 
haps " cartilage supports,") exterior to the cardinal ones. 
Length 25.4 mm. (1.) ; height 12.19 mm. (.48). 

Edmondia mactboides. — Hinge structure and principal 
characters like E. ledoides, but shorter, more ventricose, 
rounded on ventral side, sometimes sub-angulated along ante- 
rior and posterior unbonal slopes — especiaHy in old specimens. 
Anterior and posterior muscular pits rather deep, round-oval, 
near the beak. Commissure deeply indented anteriorly, be- 
neath the beaks. Exterior marked only by faint lines of 
growth. Length 14.22 mm. (.56) ; length of anterior end 4.83 
mm. (.19); height 11.17 mm. [.44]; convexity of both valves 
9.65 ram. [.38]. Longest specimen 30.48 mm. [1.2]. 

MuRCHisoxViA MucKO. — Small, turreted, of 6-8 rounded 
whorls isolated by a deep suture, and marked bj a relatively 
broad, raised, bicarinate band along the middle ; lip slightly 
effuse anteriorly ; umbilicus small. Height 5.08 mm. [.2] ; di- 
ameter of base 2.03 mm. [.08]. 

Pleukotomaria CAVuMiiiLicATA.—- Rather large, deeply 
and broadly umbilicate, depressed conical, nearly twice as 
broad as high ; whorls 5-6, with subcircular section, the later 
ones flattened above, suture impressed ; exterior of whorls 
with obliquely transverse lines which, in the umbilical cavity, 
and sometimes on the base, coalesce into strong ridges. In- 
terior smooth ; two or three of the apical whorls often regu- 
larly septate. Height 23.88 mm. [.94] ; diameter of last whorl 
38.61 mm. [1.52]. 

Pleurotomaria Emmetexsis. — Higher than broad ; whorls 
6 to 8, all rounded, marked by a faint median, revolving, nar- 
row band, and fine, transverse, sigmoid striae. Cast smooth. 
Height 28.45 mm. [1.12] ; diameter of last whorl 22.61 mm. 
[.89]. 

Pleurotomaria parvispira. — Small, depressed ; whorls 4 
to 5, rapidly enlarging, biaiigulated, the flattened upper surface 
at right angles with the flat peripheral, and with the axis of the 
shell. Surface with faint sigmoid transverse strije. Height 



97 

7.37 mm. [.29] ; height of last whoii 6.84 mm. [.2.3]; diameter 
of base 9.91 mm. [.39j. 

Orthoceras pustuloslm. — Characterized by having the 
exterior covered with pustules of varying sizes and unequally 
distributed. 

GoMPiiocERAS OMKROx. — Rather large, compressed-ovate, 
abruptly constricted at aperture *, septa about 12 — the last at 
largest diameter of shell — their distances increasing from 4.57 
mm. [.18] near apex to 8.13 mm, [.32] next to last chamber. 
Siphon large, sub-marginal. Length about 127 mm. [5.]; 
greater diameter about 76 mm. [3], ; smaller 63 ram, [2.5]. 

Spirorbis ammox, — Aspect and size of S. omphalodes 
Goldf., but more strictly planorbiform, has uniformly one more 
whorl, and is less rapidly enlarged, 

Spirorbis obesa, — Three or four times the diameter of S. 
oinjihalodea, consisting of two or three rapidly enlarging, 
nearly planorboid whorls. 

The foregoing is a summary of all that is at present known 
of the rocks of the Hamilton group on the western side of the 
lower peninsula of Michigan. 

Axx Abbor, 31 July, 1986, 



OCT. 8, m, 



r 














<^ 











^^ 






















,^ .* 










\'>^ -Mm-, %,^^ :0^:-- \/ :MK' %. 










ly t* .t m h8 \\r A V 

















